Back in 2003, having already released two albums, he was struggling to achieve mainstream recognition.

Sir Michael Parkinson took a chance and invited the Wiltshireman on to his TV show. Cullum's jazz-pop style quickly wooed the audience – and industry bosses.

His performance sparked a bidding war to sign him, with Cullum eventually plumping for Universal Records.

But the whirlwind period was the culmination of years of hard work.

Cullum's passion for music started in childhood admiration for his big brother Ben: "My brother was a musician and I guess I just copied him. I thought he looked cool when he'd play Eddie Van Halen guitar solos in his bedroom. I thought 'I'll have a go at that'.

"Music was what I grabbed onto as a teenager. At school, some were the football kids, some the school swots. I guess I was the music guy. I was always listening to music or talking about music."

While he kept up with his favourite hobby throughout his teens, at university he took a degree in English and film studies.

"To do a music degree, you have to be able to read music and have a grasp of music theory – I didn't have any of that at all," Cullum explains.

But he continued to play jazz in his spare time, releasing his first album, Heard it All Before, in 1999. It quickly sold out, although Cullum admits: "There were only five hundred, and by 'album release', what I really mean is I was selling them out of the back of my car."

His second album, Pointless Nostalgic, was picked up by an independent label and led to that life-changing TV appearance.

Now, instead of trying to sell albums from his car, he plays to thousands of people on world tours. But Cullum struggles to see
how much his life has changed.

"I guess it's changed in that I've got a lot busier, but I was always making music anyway.


It was all I wanted to do. Obviously opportunities have come where I've been able to get further with my music and I've had the chance to work with more and more interesting people. That part of it is strange!"

One thing he can't deny is that romantically his life has had an overhaul in the past few years and he's engaged to model-turned-author Sophie Dahl. The pair are set to marry next year, but don't expect to see any magazine spreads of the special day.

"We're going to have the wedding covered by Anglers Weekly," Cullum jokes.

He's guarded about his fiancée and explains he's keen to keep his private life just that.

"I think the whole media focus on it is a bit gross. It's private and personal and it's just who I am really. We prefer to be quiet about us because it's just to do with us and otherwise it wouldn't be quite as special."

So there won't be a reality TV programme where the two are followed around with TV cameras then?

"No! That's definitely not for us, plus I think people would be bored. There's not that much to see."

Although he's keen to keep his relationship away from the spotlight, he's more than happy to entertain his fans.

"To have an audience is a privilege and obviously going out and playing is what I love to do. So even though touring can get tiring, it certainly never gets old. It's still just as exciting. I think if it stops getting exciting I probably shouldn't be doing it."

Cullum continues, "I'm proud of just being able to continue to release records and tour and be able to sustain a career.

"I didn't realise until now how much easier it was to be a new artist. Having that new car smell was a great selling point and trying to recapture that with my audience is impossible, so I have to focus on putting out great music. I don't really feel like a veteran in the business, but, five records in, I guess I am!"

Cullum is particularly happy with his latest album: "When I look back to my start in music I think about how much I've grown in the music industry. When I listen to the new album in the context of what I've done before I see a real arc upwards in terms of my musical achievement. That makes me really happy. It's great to think I'm improving with every record."

Looking back on the last decade, Cullum recognises that he's very lucky both in love and career. So does he acknowledge the impact Parkinson had on his life? "I was very lucky to have that opportunity. There are a few things which led to my success but that was definitely an important one."

Jamie Cullum's new album The Pursuit is available to buy now. He plays Sheffield City Hall on May 18 next year. 0114 2789 789, www.sheffieldcityhall.co.uk

JAMIE CALLUM FACT FILE

Cullum is a keen cyclist and also likes to play tennis with his brother.

His new album, pictured, features covers of Rihanna's Don't Stop The Music and Cole Porter's Just One Of Those Things.

He explains the title of the new album The Pursuit is a "pertinent reminder it's about the journey and not the destination".

Cullum would like to learn how to read music and is planning on doing this in the future.

In 2007 Cullum was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for his composition Gran Torino.