William Robert “Will” Young was born on January 20th, 1978 in Wokingham, Berkshire, England, United Kingdom. He is a singer-songwriter and actor who won Pop Idol, a British reality television music competition in 2002, making him the first winner of the worldwide Idol franchise. Only two weeks after the show he release his first single named “Anything Is Possible”. It became the fastest-selling debut single in the UK. His estimated worldwide sale of over eight million albums and his net worth was estimated at £13.5 million as of April 2012.

When Will was a teenager, he attended University of Exter where he studied politics, later moving to London to study musical theater at Arts Educational School. In 2001 he put school on hold to compete on Pop Idol. He also acts on television shows, on stage and in films.

Will is a twin, born ten minutes before his brother, Rupert Maxwell. He also has an older sister, Emma Young. The siblings grew up in an affluent, middle-class family with strong family ties to the  British government and military services. His father Robin Young was a company director of an engineering firm and his mother, Annabel Young, worked as a plant nursery gardener. His great-great-great-great grandfather was Colonel Sir Aretas William Young who joined the British Army and served in Ireland and Egypt. Aretas’ son, Sir Henry Young was posted in Demerara, and followed in his father’s footsteps by helping to free the slaves in the 1830’s.  Will Young’s paternal grandfather, Digby Aretas Young, served in the Royal Air Force.