From car mechanic to internationally loved opera, musical and recording star: the story of Alfie Boe...

Alfie Boe is the first official bad boy of opera: a musical superstar celebrated not only in Britain, but worldwide. This is the story of his life - the ups and the downs, from finding fame to losing his father - and, essentially, of his love affair with music.

Raised in Lancashire, the youngest of nine children and with a father who played opera at home, Alfie's story is not typical of most musical stars. His dreams of singing were only ever going to be dreams until fate intervened in the form of a stranger: he was training as a car mechanic when a customer overheard him singing and told him about a London audition. Alfie tried out, got the part and has never since looked back.

This is the tale of how Alfie went from car mechanic to the UK's most popular and well-known opera star, lauded by Baz Luhrman, Cameron Macintosh and Michael Parkinson as the best tenor we've produced in a generation.

Now, for the first time, he has granted his millions of fans an intimate glimpse into the life of the man they adore.