RHYDIAN Roberts admits it was the role which attracted him to Little Shop of Horrors which comes to Manchester’s Palace Theatre on Monday.

“I’m a sado-masochist dentist whose addicted to laughing gas and I’m a wife beater so that’s quite a fun role to play,” he said. “Any role I can play where ordinarily I’d get arrested if I behaved like that in the street is always appealing.”

The dentist is one of several parts Rhydian plays in the musical about a carnivorous plant called Audrey.

“The dentist is an impact role,” he said, “but I do play five other characters in the show.

“Some of the audience think it’s a shame that Rhydian’s not on stage on the second half but actually I am. I come back as four other characters in the second half in many different guises.

“Originally I signed up just to play the dentist but the director convinced me it would be good to play other characters too and she was right.”

Rhydian has now starred in two cult musicals - Little Shop of Horrors and the Rocky Horror Show.

“They both have that sci-fi, B movie spoof feel to them” he said. “The Rocky Horror Show is probably the better known but I think this is a better written musical.”

For all his success on stage whether in concert or in musicals, Rhydian will forever be associated with the X Factor - he finished runner-up in the fourth series of the talent show behind Leon Jackson.

“Obviously the profile helped me and people will mention the X Factor but that’s fine,” he said. “It’s a bit like Ross Kemp. He’s other things but he’ll always be Grant Mitchell from EastEnders.

“Also it’s not that I’m not proud of that show.

“In a way I capitalised on an era we are in like it or not. I was in a competition and I got a record deal out of it. It has produced some of biggest names in British pop music and I’m part of that. I’m not the most successful but I am in the in top 10 out of 12 or 13 series so far and I’m happy with that.”

After finishing his spell as the manic dentist, Rhydian goes into pantomime in Bournemouth.

“There’s no taboo about pantos these days,” he said, “and I love it.”

He’s also got his own series on S4C, the Welsh language channel, and has exciting plans for 2017.

“I always like to do one album a year but next year I’ll be doing two and going out on tour,” he said.

“There are some good projects lined up but there also might be some offers of musicals but that all depends how they fit in with my schedule.”

Little Shop of Horrors, Palace Theatre, Manchester, Monday, October 31 to Saturday, November 4. Details from the box office 0844 871 3019.