HE lived just up the road from Warrington, he was a Mr Smith's regular and Pete Waterman first heard his music in the town.

But Rick Astley has never performed a full concert in Warrington and the last time he was at the Parr Hall was before he dominated the charts with Never Gonna Give You Up.

Now, almost 30 years after becoming an 80s icon, the former Newton resident is making up for it with a headline gig in the town, including the chance to hear some of his first new songs in a decade.

"Just the idea of playing at the Parr Hall is wild," Rick told Weekend.

"The Stone Roses playing their reunion gig there made it cool and obviously they’ve spent money on it.

"But it was always a pretty amazing venue. The building itself is quite incredible

"I remember going in as a kid and we played in a couple of battle of the bands there. I was with my friends in a band called FBI – and we won.

"I think it was one of the first times Pete Waterman saw me. He was one of the judges.

"I don’t think I’ve done a gig in the town since. I’ve sung at the Warrington Wolves stadium a couple of times, including a charity event with Peter Kay.

"But there’s not been a ticketed gig or anything like that."

Until now. Rick will be at the Parr Hall on April 5 and the singer, who now lives in London, admitted that it will bring back a lot of memories.

The 50-year-old went from working at his dad Ozzie's garden centre in Newton to having a number one in 25 countries.

"It doesn’t matter where you go," added Rick.

"Even if you’ve emigrated to Australia everyone gets that nostalgic feeling when they come back home.

"I used to go and buy records in Warrington. The town has changed beyond recognition since I was a kid but it still hits me.

"I get that with Newton even more so because that’s where I went to school and where I was brought up.

"I also get a slight shiver because I kind of escaped my teens.

"I wanted to travel the world and make music and when you go back you almost feel like someone is going to tap you on the shoulder and say: 'It was all a dream'."

It also helps that Rick has a big following in the area.

He said: "With the odd exception I think if you’re a northerner at birth you’re a northerner for the rest of your life.

"I’ve not lived in Newton for 30 years. I’ve got no claim to it. It’s not like I’m a professional northerner and eat pies in front of southerners just to prove it. But people do associate me with the area."

Rick is also currently working on his first album in 10 years – one that may surprise his fans.

He said: "It’s funny because I’ve worked with a few gospel choirs over the years and I also had a song called Cry For Help back in 1991 that had a choir on it.

"A couple of these songs are in that ballpark. I’m not saying I’ve made a gospel record but they have a kind of chorus that hopefully makes people want to sing along.

"One of the things I always respond to in a record is the vocals, especially when you add great harmonies to it."

Another occasion when Rick realised the power of singing was when he joined Gary Barlow as a backing singer for the soundtrack of The Lion King.

He added: "I think it’s the least removed you can be from making music because it’s just about people singing together and when that works it’s an amazing thing."

Rick was given the job thanks to his friendship with Elton John, who composed the film's music.

He knew the world famous musician and composer because his musical director is married to one of his wife's best friends.

And he still vividly remembers meeting the star for dinner a few years before the Disney film's release.

Rick said: "I was thinking: 'I’m sat at the dinner table with Elton John, this is just bizarre'. We were also in LA which just added to it.

"He asked if I was making a new record and said: ‘If you want me to play piano on it just give me a ring’.

"By this point I’m spilling my soup over myself but sure enough he came and played a few tunes. It was bonkers.

"That was on the same album that Cry For Help was on and we kept in touch."