The Queen Of The Night comes back to the stage: Alexandra Burke talks The Bodyguard in Birmingham

The show continues tonight and tomorrow and features a whole host of irresistible classics including One Moment in Time, Saving All My Love, I Wanna Dance With Somebody and, of course, I Will Always Love You.

What’s On caught up with Burke for a quick-fire Q&A ahead of the show.

For the few people not familiar, could you briefly explain the story of The Bodyguard?

If you’re not familiar with The Bodyguard it means that you were born after 1992, and you are very young and I am very jealous.

The Bodyguard follows Rachel Marron, a Grammy award winning superstar singer and mother who encounters an intense stalker who will go to any lengths to get to her.

Her team has to hire a new bodyguard to protect her.

She discovers that there is more to life than fame and being a singer and she discovers how important love is.

She’s a very loving and strong woman but she’s also very vulnerable.

What is it about the role of Rachel that made you want to return to the show, having played the role both in the West End and on tour previously?

I think what’s really exciting about the show is that it includes Whitney Houston’s catalogue of work which really makes the show.

It takes me back to when I was a child and had a hairbrush in my hand and was always singing Whitney to my mum.

For me, the storyline never gets old. People always ask me if I get tired of performing the same show six times a week but I honestly don’t.

It’s never the same show each night. It was also an exciting prospect to be singing Whitney Houston for a year, which of course will be tough but at the same time very rewarding.

This show is my dream, you can’t beat the adrenaline of the end of the show when it hits the finale and everyone is on their feet, that feeling of knowing everyone has enjoyed the show.

How have you prepared for the role of Rachel this time around?

Well, I’m in a different place in my life now. I’ve been lucky enough to have amazing experiences with Sister Act, Chess, Chicago and Strictly Come Dancing.

So I was hoping that people would see growth in the sense of my dancing ability, acting and vocally.

So much has happened in my life that I’m taking all my experiences and putting them into the show in the hope that people can see that in my performance.

I’ve also seen my nieces and nephews grow up and tried to be the best Auntie I can be which isn’t the same as being a parent but gives me some idea.

Do you feel any pressure singing such big songs made famous by Whitney Houston?

Absolutely. The songs aren’t easy to sings, luckily some of them aren’t in Whitney’s key which I’m very thankful for.

At the same time, it’s very rewarding. Singing Whitney Houston six times a week is no joke and it’s very hard but also incredible.

Did you have a favourite Whitney Houston track before you became involved in The Bodyguard, and has that changed now you’re getting to sing the songs?

Yeah, you know what actually, I did.

I think my favourite Whitney track of all time was I Will Always Love You and a couple of years ago after performing the show night after night it changed to I Have Nothing.

I love performing that in the show, I could happily do Act One, sing I Have Nothing and go home but that’s not how it works.

And finally, do you have any ‘must-have’ items for on tour?

I don’t know if you can call them ‘items’ but my dogs.

They are my living, little loving things, all four of them.

I would also say the essentials for a singer, a steamer, a humidifier, ginger, lemon, honey, very basic and very simple.

Plus, my favourite pillow which goes with me everywhere and I always pack a onesie because you can never go wrong with a onesie at any time of year.