Clean-cut Dunc turns the air Blue; The big interview TEEN IDOL TURNS BAD BOY FOR TV AND UNLEASHES AN X-RATED BLAST..AT HIMSELF.

Byline: By STEVE HENDRY

Duncan James is the original blue-eyed boy next door.

He is handsome, talented, down-to-earth and he's made the transition from boyband to TV presenter and performer.

He has also starred on stage in Chicago, hosted BBC1's National Lottery show and donned sparkly Lycra to skate in ITV1's Dancing On Ice...without harming his heart-throb status.

How do you sum him up the former Blue singer? It's probably best if he tells you himself...

He said: "I'm a b******. In fact, I've been in a boy band and I'm a celebrity so I'm a double b******. I'm an ice skating b******. I'm a Lotto ball-playing b******. I'm just a totally, nasty b******."

Despite all those asterisks, the 30-year-old hasn't taken leave of his senses. He's talking up his latest role, playing Duncan From Blue, an extreme version of himself in new Channel 4 comedy, Plus One.

Having stolen the girlfriend of the hero Rob Black (Daniel Mays) Duncan is about to marry her. Bride-tobe Linsey (Spooks star Miranda Raison) reckons the performer is as close to perfect as you can get, while as far as poor old Rob is concerned, Duncan, is, well... a total b******.

As a result, Duncan has to play both extreme versions of himself.

He said: "I've messed with his girlfriend so as far as the character of Rob is concerned, I'm a real b******.

The first time you see me I'm dressed up as a James Bond villain but instead of being called Blofeld I'm being called Fromblue.

"I'm having to play how he sees me, which is a real nasty piece of work. And, of course, I've got to play the other side of that too, so I'm also this total goody good, can-do-no wrong character as well as far as Miranda Raison's character is concerned.

"I'm honestly neither of those extremes, so it was great, great fun to do."

The show was first shown as a pilot last year. He met the writers who told him they'd written the character based on his public persona of all-round Mr Nice Guy. For all the laughs, he's aware it's a window on how some people are apt to see him. He said: "They warned me not to take offence when I read the script but I just laughed, I thought it was brilliant. We did the pilot in 2008, it got commissioned into a series and it's just developed from there.

"I'm taking the piss out of myself all the time. They think I'm a good sport for doing it and I think it's a brilliant show to be part of.

"I suppose it is looking through the eyes of people like Rob and how they see me, thinking, 'He's been in a boy band so he must be an arrogant tosser.'

"People see you on TV and think you are one thing or another. A lot of people are quick to judge people without getting to know them. I thought this was a good opportunity to show another side of me and if people have thought of me in one way, they might think of me in another way after this.

"But, generally, I've been lucky. People have been good to me. I haven't had that much of a hard time with groups of lads and that kind of thing. A lot of them have been really good to me. If you come across as an a*******, you are going to get a ribbing. I don't think I've come across like that - although I'm sure there will be plenty of of people who disagree ."

When Duncan was with Blue he also started presenting on TV, hosting shows like Party in the Park and continuing with the National Lottery and City Hospital.

He's also appeared in Chicago in the West End - playing lawyer Billy Flynn - and starred in ITV1's Dancing On Ice last year.

He's aware his career has jumped all over the place but, as a proud father to a three-year-old daughter, he is also just happy to have kept working.

He said: "I've done radio, presenting, acting, TV, theatre. I do sometime wonder if I'm Jack of all trades, master of none. But I enjoy the variety and I'm happy I've continued to work.

It's just lucky that the phone has kept ringing.

"I'm lucky to have been able to maintain work after Blue. Paying your mortgage and looking after your family is the most important thing. A lot of people aren't so lucky and I'm grateful I am able to do other things."

For the time being, acting in Plus One has, as he puts it, "whet my whistle". He enjoyed learning from the cast - which included former former EastEnders star Nigel Harman - and hopes the series will return, even if it does mean sending himself up some more. He said: "My whole background coming up into Blue was in theatre.

I did a musical theatre course and as a kid I was on stage three times a year. That's all I wanted to do.

"This was a chance to act and do comedy which I haven't done before. The cast all took me under their wing and worked with me when there were scenes where I couldn't get my lines out.

"I really enjoyed it and it's given me the buzz. I hope it's something we can do again. I'd love to pursue acting. I loved doing Chicago and I'm hoping to do another show this year."

His acting career means it's unlikely Blue will stage a reunion anytime soon. The band, which also featured I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! contestant Simon Webbe, Lee Ryan and Antony Costa, sold seven million albums before they split in 2005 on the advice of Sir Elton John.

But with the likes of Take That, Boyzone and New Kids On The Block enjoying the lucrative fruits of the "man band" genre, Duncan won't rule it out.

He said: "We're all doing our own thing. I don't think we'll get back as recording artists but I can see us performing again and doing a tour. I guess it's a case of never say never.

"We are all mates, Antony is doing fine and Lee has just had a baby boy and he rang me up to tell me he was a dad.

"I was a big supporter of Simon when he went into the jungle. When he did his trial in the water I know how frightened he was. He had to go on oxygen. He was totally traumatised by it. I texted him saying how proud I was of him. I love those boys to bits."

Prior to Plus One, his last appearance on TV was in the Dancing On Ice Christmas special with skater Maria Filippov.

He laughed: "You are being taught by Torvill and Dean, getting into Lycra and having your hair and make-up done - it doesn't get any camper than that.

"It's hard work but great fun, Saturday night, family entertainment. You just have to get in the swing and go with it - and not take yourself remotely seriously. It's something I'm getting used to."

Plus One is on Channel 4 on Friday, January 9, at 10pm.

I've been in a boyband and I'm a celebrity so I'm a double b******.

- Duncan James

CAPTION(S):

Versatile Duncan is proving he's not just a pretty boy; Duncan, right, in Blue with Simon Webbe, Antony Costa and Lee Ryan; Dunc as sleazy lawyer Billy Flynn in West End musical Chicago; In Plus One his nasty alter ego steals Rob's girl Linsey and weds her; Dancing On Ice duo Duncan and Maria