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Olly Murs would have 'no problem' returning to call centre job

Olly Murs on stage during day one of Capital's Jingle Bell Ball with Coca-Cola at London's O2 Arena.
Olly Murs (PA)

Olly Murs has said he would have “no problem” with returning to the jobs he had before he was a pop star if he had to.

The singer spoke out on This Morning when asked about Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak’s suggestion that people are having to “adapt” the jobs they do as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Asked what he could retrain to do, Murs said: “I have no idea to be honest. I can say I have no problem going back into doing jobs I’ve done before. I worked in a call centre, I did recruitment.”

He told hosts Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford: “I just thought that guy was so wrong in what he said.

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“It just shows you what people think about the creative industry and especially, if that’s how he’s thinking, God knows who else is thinking that. He’s an idiot.

“And who knows what I’d be doing?

“This is what I do for a job, I love it so much. Everyone loves to be entertained and performed [to] and whilst I was doing all of the recruitment, this was the thing that I loved the most. I love singing and performing for people and I don’t want to give this up and go into any [other] job to be honest.”

The chancellor had said in an interview that people in “all walks of life” would have to adapt because of the impact of the pandemic.

Olly Murs on stage during day one of Capital's Jingle Bell Ball 2018 with Coca-Cola at the O2 Arena, London. Picture Credit Should Read: Doug Peters/EMPICS
Olly Murs (Doug Peters/EMPICS)

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Liam Gallagher and Sue Perkins were among the figures in the arts world who criticised what they saw as Sunak’s suggestion that they retrain.

However, the politician later clarified his remarks, making it was clear he was not targeting the arts industry.

Sharing a transcript of the interview, he wrote on Twitter: “To people concerned by inaccurate reports that I told musicians to retrain... here’s the transcript.

“I did not say it and I do not think it.

EMBARGOED TO 1800 TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 15 Chancellor Rishi Sunak during a visit to the Emma Bridgewater pottery in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire. Employees at the factory are now back at work after being furloughed due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Rishi Sunak (PA)

“Musicians don't need to retrain.

“When it's safe, venues need to reopen. That's why we've created a £1.57bn package to protect the arts.”

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