Engelbert Humperdinck: 'I was arrested at gunpoint in Venezuela by a narcotics squad'

I’m on the road quite consistently and have been for more than half a century

If I’m not working for more than two weeks, I get itchy feet; it’s a way of life for me now. Thankfully, it’s been a long time since I’ve had to pack my own bag. I write a list for my assistant and she puts it together. Two years ago, I did an extensive tour of Asia, but I rarely get a chance to see the places properly. Often, I do the show and leave the next day.

I used to stay away from home for three months straight

I didn’t like it, but I was building my career and putting a roof over my family’s head. I heard my kids grow up over the phone, rather than seeing them, and that was very disappointing. I would like to have spent more time with them.

I spent the first 10 years of my life in Madras [Chennai], India

I went to a European school in wonderful surroundings and I have treasured memories of growing up in the tropics. I miss the curries of my childhood. Whenever I come home to England, I eat at lots of Indian restaurants. My absolute favourite is a place in Leicester called Swatlands, where the owner has become a friend.

For our honeymoon we went to Paris on a shoestring budget

We stayed in Pigalle. It was only 22 francs a night, but I remember those days with love and respect, because they were special. I just enjoyed what I had at that particular time.

My first proper holiday kick-started my career

I was in my 20s and went to the Isle of Man, fresh from two years of military service in Germany. I won a singing contest and it gave me the incentive to pursue my singing. A few years later, my name was changed to Engelbert Humperdinck and the rest is history.

The moment you hit the island of Hawaii, you hear the music

You step off the plane and you smell the flowers. It has a fragrance all of its own. It’s a special place for me. My good friend Elvis did a televised show from Hawaii many years ago, and for a long time I dreamt of doing one, too. Performing there in 2018 made me feel closer to him, in a way. He once said I reminded him of the twin brother he lost at birth. It’s why he grew his sideburns so long.

I was arrested at gunpoint in Venezuela in the 1970s by a narcotics squad

I had taken my whole band to Caracas because I had played there before and liked the place. Interpol thought I had illegal drugs on me, but it was my prescription medication. I spent hours in jail before they realised it was all legal. They never even apologised, so I was quite upset.

I live up in the hills in Los Angeles, 1,000ft high

From my patio, I have a wonderful view of the valley and downtown LA, and I can just about see the ocean. It could almost be paradise, but the traffic down on Sunset Boulevard is just horrible. America’s been very good to me, but I moved here out of necessity, not choice. My perfect holiday would involve staying in a house by the beach, rather than in a hotel.

My favourite place to take the family for holidays when they were young was Barbados

We used to stay at Settlers’ Beach. That’s where I learnt how to waterski on one leg.

There are downsides to travelling

I feel stressed out thinking of home and wondering what’s going on there. I also dislike those long walkways in airports and having to go through so many routines to go abroad.

I feel as though I have been almost everywhere

I actually can’t think of anywhere I would like to go, although I still love travelling and experiencing different cultures. My first record, Release Me, was my passport to the world, because it was number one in so many countries. I felt like an absolute king on a recent trip to Bangkok. When I was leaving, the staff threw rose petals at my car, just like something from a movie.

I’ve travelled the world, but Leicester is the best city on Earth

It’s my home, my native land. We live in a village and the people call us “the folks that live on the hill”. Every year, people drive by the house to see our Christmas lights and it’s a reputation that I adore.

Interview by Rosie Hopegood

Tickets for Engelbert’s latest tour are on sale now: engelbert.com/tour