WHEN Daniel O'Donnell plays the first of three consecutive Bournemouth concerts at the BIC on April 4 it will be his first concert anywhere this year.

The heartthrob singer has been relaxing in his Tenerife home since January 1 with wife Majella escaping the miserable British winter weather, playing golf, learning Spanish, working out in the gym and working on the tan. He was also ordered by doctors to take plenty of rest after a bad bout of flu and a chest infection.

But he did manage to get back to Ireland for about three weeks to work on the next album - a collection of country standards.

And while he says he rarely ventures out of the Las Americas house he bought three years ago, he has wandered down to the local Irish bars where he has joined in the karaoke!

He told me: "Me and Majella both like the Irish bars and the sing-songs. It's nice to hear people sing and sometimes we get up and have a sing."

In a resort full of look-alike singers, from the Tina Turners to the Rod Stewarts, did he ever get mistaken for a look-alike Daniel O'Donnell?

"Well, yes, some people don't believe it's me. I can live quite normally there but then people don't impose on me whereever I happen to be. I think because I meet people after my shows they allow me to have a normal life."

There is nothing normal' or common place about the devotion of Daniel O'Donnell fans, however. They will queue up overnight - sometimes for several nights, in order to get the best seats when his shows go on sale.

The euphoria of a Daniel O'Donnell audience is something to behold too - especially when he wanders into the crowd to touch his followers.

Off stage he is a remarkably quiet, very private individual - possibly the least showbizzy person you could wish to meet.

Ask him about this phenomenon and he is typically modest.

"I suppose I am very privileged that people will come to see me - and sometimes to more than one show. Over the years I've had tremendous support. I don't try to understand it - I just enjoy it. Performing is heaven on earth' for me."

"When I started out I never imagined I would be as successful as I am. In the last few years we have been playing America and Canada - a lot of people just like this type of music."

After Bournemouth, Daniel's year will be crammed full with gigs from Ireland to New Zealand and Australia.

At the end of the year he revealed he plans a long break of six months.

"I am certainly going to take more time off in the future. I think it will help my longevity. I plan to do some travelling and see the sights - not just the hotels and concert venues."

He met Majella in Tenerife where her parents have a bar. They have been married for five years but Daniel says having children isn't on the agenda. I'm 46 and Majella is 48 and age does affect whether it happens or not. We would have been delighted if we'd had children at the beginning."

They do, however, have two stepchildren: Siobhan, 20, who is at college in Dublin, and Michael, 17, who is at boarding school in Scotland.

Majella, who has sung duets with Daniel before, will be with him in Bournemouth - but will not be performing.

Daniel added that he will be meeting fans after the shows.

"I can sometimes end up staying on until 1am but I will stay until the last person."