Olly Murs would have "happily" gone back to working in sales if his music career didn't work out.
The 38-year-old pop star was forced to put touring on hold after undergoing an operation on a longstanding knee problem, however, he's recently signed a new record deal with EMI Records and is getting back on track.
Olly - who shot to fame when he came second in the sixth series of 'The X Factor' in 2009 - has insisted that his Plan B would have been to return to his sales job if he failed at music.
He told Radio Times magazine: "I would happily have gone back to doing sales."
Olly was forced to abandon his football career due to his injury after playing semi-professionally in the years before he auditioned for the TV reality show.
Speaking of his new record deal, he said in a statement this month: “I’m absolutely delighted to be signing with EMI, a super label with a great roster of talent, “I now have a new family, a new team and I can’t wait for this exciting new chapter in my music career”.
EMI Records co-president Jo Charrington - who previously worked with Olly when he first signed to Sony - commented: “I’m THRILLED to be working with Olly again.
“He has become one of the UK’s most loved voices and entertainers, building a huge and devoted audience. His new music is stellar, full of heartfelt up-tempo bangers."
Her co-president, Rebecca Allen, added: “Jo Charrington and Olly’s long-standing relationship and successes together give us the best opportunity to build and deliver an even more ambitious new chapter."
