The American singer and actor Josh Groban may reside in sunny Los Angeles but, thanks to his English girlfriend, the actress Natalie McQueen, his home is full of British traditions.
"I've been spoiled by very high-calorie Sunday roasts," the Emmy, Tony and Grammy-nominated star, known for his roles in Crazy, Stupid, Love and The Office, exclusively tells HELLO!.
© Getty Images"Maybe one day we'll celebrate Christmas in London, that would be really fun. A couple of years ago Natalie was in panto at the Palladium – I loved it so much; I was yelling along with all the jokes."
The 44-year-old star, who recently had a Las Vegas residency and played Sweeney Todd on Broadway, has announced a one-off show at London's O2 in April – his first UK concert in six years. He's also just released a new album, Hidden Gems, which, Josh says, are songs "that the fans have loved, but really they haven't had as much attention in the mainstream".
"Joey Fatone from NSYNC texted me saying, 'Hey man, congratulations on your star. We're in front of the Dunkin' Donuts.'"
For Josh, the festive period is a time to unwind.
He tells us: "I'm pulled in so many directions a lot of the time, and the holidays are a reminder to lean into the simple things that make life worthwhile: from keeping my loved ones close and making new memories, to putting the phone down and appreciating what's in front of us."
Josh's home life
The home he shares with Natalie is full of music. "We've both been playing the piano,” he says. “I'm always writing on it, and she's now starting to learn. She knows one song at the moment, which is Vanessa Carlton's A Thousand Miles. At some point she'll learn another song! Maybe we'll work on a Christmas song together as the holidays go on."
"I’m so incredibly lucky to have the most amazing partner," he adds with a smile.
© Getty ImagesThe couple often visit Natalie's home city of London. "It's a city that I've found shares a lot of the same sensibilities as me: humour, style, and I love the food, the TV – all of my guilty pleasures have to do with British things,” Josh says. “If I could eat Heinz baked beans and watch Bargain Hunt and Come Dine With Me all day, I'd be very happy."
Josh met King Charles – then the Prince of Wales – when he performed at the Royal Variety Show in 2008. "His humour is very dry," recalls the singer. "I think he was definitely joking because I sang a song in Italian and he winked at me and said, 'Your Spanish was excellent'. I was like, 'Oh, very good, sir.'"
Coming to the UK
Now, as Josh prepares for his UK concert, he beams: "I'm so excited; it's a dream venue for me. It gives me a chance to do a real retrospective on the most meaningful songs in my fans' lives, the most meaningful songs in my life."
His songwriting inspiration stems from a feeling, Josh reveals, which then manifests itself in a melody.
© Josh Groban"I'm not a lyrics-first writer; I'm a melody-with-gibberish writer first," he explains. "A lot of times that melody will happen in a really inconvenient place – it's always when I'm on a really crowded walk and I look like a crazy person singing little melodies into my phone."
Known for his film and TV roles, Josh reveals that his character Walter Bernard Jr in the US version of The Office is his favourite. "To be able to spend a couple of days on set on that show was amazing, as was to be around so many comedic geniuses who I've looked up to for so many years."
The Walk of Fame
Hollywood is recognising Josh's talents early in 2026, when he’ll receive his own star on the famous Walk of Fame. He says: "I grew up right by Hollywood Boulevard, walking down the streets and looking at all the names – it's a childhood pinch-me thing. I can't believe I'm getting that."
He continues: "Joey Fatone from NSYNC texted me saying, 'Hey man, congratulations on your star. We're in front of the Dunkin' Donuts.' I'll be letting him know where they decide to put me – hopefully it's somewhere good.”
Josh is about to work on a film song album that he describes as: "Great melodies that I've been dying to sing my whole life”.
He continues: "It started because I was asked by Francis Ford Coppola to sing the Godfather theme for him when he was given his AFI Lifetime Achievement Award. He wanted me to sing it in Sicilian, and we did this beautiful arrangement to it."
As for acting, he has theatre in his sights again, perhaps in the West End – not a big musical, but "maybe something more experimental would be a lot of fun, or even a play".
Josh Groban treading the boards in London sounds perfect to us.
Join Josh Groban for one unforgettable night at London’s The O2 on 1 April 2026. Tickets available at tegeurope.com
