At first, Lee from Blue can barely concentrate on this interview. There are ladies present, that's why. And oh yeah, he's not got a cigarette to hand. But then, again it's hard for anyone to concentrate full stop since the noise in the photographic studio has gone from the quiet chatter of journalists to the boisterous, testosterone-fuelled banter of a boy band in the house, accompanied by press officers, stylists, make-up artists and the like. It's not surprising though: Blue have finally (and thankfully) kicked Westlife into touch as the premier boy band and today time is at a premium. While Simon and Duncan are engaged with other journalists – Antony is elsewhere – Lee reveals all about the future of Blue, sleeping with aliens and his five inches.

Is Blue still fun?
Yeah, of course, it can get a bit boring. Sometimes.
Do you think the group has a shelf-life?
Yeah, probably. I think we've probably got another year and a half maybe, I think we'll probably throw in the towel after that.
Do you have a vision for afterwards?
I'd love to do little projects, I don't think I'd like to do a solo thing. Do an album as a songwriter, but then maybe not release anything for the next three years. I've got a music company called Still Music, which is a songwriting company. We write different songs for different artists, it's going well.
Are you the most misunderstood man in pop? The quotes about farting in bed to keep warm and sleeping with aliens are really out there.
That farting in bed thing was just a joke. If anyone takes it seriously, they're more of an idiot than I am. The fact that I'd like to fuck an alien, yeah, I'd love to. That's true. If you don't believe in aliens, you're an idiot as well.
Do you think the media has no sense of humour?
No, they've got a sense of humour – that's why they're writing it.
How often are you getting bollocked by the record company?
Quite a lot.
What's been the most recent?
The drink-driving thing. I'll say it, I wasn't drunk, I was two times over the limit. You can be two times over the limit without being drunk. Maybe I shouldn't have got in a car, but I wasn't pissed out of my face. I just thought I'd be alright.
Is it fun being bad?
Yeah, of course it is. But I'm just me. I don't try to be anything I'm not. I just do stupid things and people pick up on it.
Are there a bunch of stupid things that no-one's found out yet?
Yeah. Most of the time I tell everyone, that's the thing. I'm too honest for my own fucking good. I've done some things where if they'd ever found out about that, I'd be in shit.
Like what?
Er... there are ladies present. I've done some naughty things, but they're staying in the closet.
Have you always been a ladies man?
A lot of girls are taken back by the whole boy band thing. I don't pay attention to it that much. Girls are like 'Aaaah...' but I'm like, 'Would you really be saying that if I wasn't in a group?} It's like they already know you and they're looking for something else.
How many have you done?
[laughs] Oh shit. Well, I didn't do too bad before I got in the group. I was quite young when I first did it, I couldn't properly do it. I got it up, but nothing came out, you know what I mean?
So do girls throw themselves at you?
I don't think they do. Maybe when we're on tour, or when you go to a club or something. Most girls, they'll act like a bitch, and I hate that. But the women who act like bitches are normally the really nice ones. I ain't never met anyone apart from girls that I was with before the group happened and they're the same girls I still think about now. I've never met anyone since, except for Liz [from Atomic Kitten] – she was different.
Why?
Because she was in the business as well. She understood and I understood, but it still went pear-shaped. I couldn't handle being in a relationship. I wanted to fuck about more, innit?
Did she think you were trouble?
She trusted me and everything, I trusted her. I got engaged to her but the engagement ring was burning, man. It wasn't the right time.
Is it embarrassing to see her?
Yeah, yeah.
How big a slut are you?
I'm a bloke, innit? Do you know what I mean? If I'm in a relationship, my concentration is on that relationship, but I think I've got to get out what I've got to get out first and then I can settle and concentrate. Till then, I'm a slag.
There have been lots of kiss-and-tells which have come back to bite you.
It bites me on the arse all the time.
How do you feel about that?
Fuck it. I don't give a shit.
Even when it was 'only five inches long'?
That's bollocks. Five inches is that long (he stretches his hands out wide apart). I don't know, if it is five inches, I've never had any complaints.
Duncan: Five inches off the fucking floor, bro'. That's what you tell people.
How does your mum feel about that? My mum's funny, man, she don't give a shit. She's like, 'You dirty bastard. What you been up to?'
How experimental do you get?
Adventurous. Put it that way. I'm quite spontaneous as well.
Anything you wouldn't do? S&M, threesomes...?
I've done threesomes, erm... S&M, I've never tried it. I probably would if someone was having a laugh and said [makes noise of whip], 'Let's have it.' I'd be like, 'Fuck it, let's go.' You got to try it. I ain't never done that. I'm quite open-minded though. I don't want people to get all shy. I'm like 'bring it on if you've got it'.
How do you feel about being gay icons?
When we do clubs like G-A-Y and stuff like that, it's cool man, I enjoy it. I'm not prejudiced. I don't give a fuck. Whatever floats your boat, bro'. I always get pissed off with people who are all about lower, middle and upper class, it's all bullshit. If you want to do something, you should
go do it, you shouldn't be condemned for doing something you feel. Go for it, I ain't bothered.
How was it working with Elton John?
I love Elton. He's wicked.
Did he try it on?
No, he's a bit more professional than that. When we did 'Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word', we asked, 'Would you do the video with us?' He was like, 'What do I get in return?' And Duncan was like, 'Lee?' and Elton John said, 'Lee will do fine.' I really laughed at that.
Was he constantly looking at you with loving
in his eyes?
Vice versa, man. For us to do a track with him, I was in awe. It was one of the most amazing experiences.
So can our readers live in any kind of hope?
Nah! [laughs] But you never know, one day I might wake up and think, shit...!
[claps]