The Television presenter, comedian and actor Alexander Armstrong is set to go into the recording studio on a record that will pay homage to the British Isles. The 45-year-old Englishman is best known to television audiences as one of the presenters on the BBC's afternoon quiz show 'Pointless'. Armstrong has signed up with East West Records, a record label owned by the Warner Music Group. His debut album is expected to go on general release in the autumn of this year.
Recording starts this summer
The album is due to be recorded this summer under the watchful eye (and ear) of well-known music producer Simon Franglen, featuring celebrated songs of the British Isles.
The project should be in safe hands, given Franglen's previous collaborations on the soundtracks for "Avatar", "Titanic" and "Skyfall", among others.
Training as a baritone
Armstrong is no stranger to the arts, having been awarded a music scholarship in his youth at Trinity College, Cambridge and is classically trained as a baritone. His early education also incorporated time spent at St Mary's Music School in Edinburgh. Singing is not his only musical talent, as he has been known to play the piano, cello and oboe in the past.
Armstrong and Miller
As one half of a duo with Ben Miller, the comedy sketch show "Armstrong and Miller" established him as a familiar face with television viewers between 1997 and 2001.
After four series in partnership, mainly being aired on Channel 4, the two comedians went their separate ways to try out individual projects. Yet they re-united for the quaintly titled "The Armstrong and Miller Show" in 2007, which was shown on the BBC.
'Pointless' quiz show, but successful
He has been the regular host of the BBC's daily game show "Pointless" since it was launched in 2009, building up a popular collaboration with co-presenter Richard Osman.
The two have known each other since their university days.
Previous vocal work
The new album will not be the first time that his voice rather than his face has become the focal point on a project. He has done previous voiceover work, providing voices for characters on the animated series "Peppa Pig" and as the narrator on CBeebies' "Hey Duggee".
In September 2014, Armstrong was named as the replacement for David Jason as the voice of "Danger Mouse", in a re-vamped animated show of the same name.
His singing talents have also been engaged in recent years. In 2013, the band that he had formed went on tour for a couple of months, singing covers of anything from jazz to rock to pop music. Armstrong featured in a concert in honour of Sir Tim Rice's career last year. His version of 'No Rhyme For Richard' from the rock opera musical "Blondel" was well-received by the critics.