Alex James cried when Blur sold out Wembley Stadium in two minutes.

The 54-year-old bassist had no idea if anyone was still “interested” in the ‘Narcissist’ group – whose last headline shows came in 2015 – so was “really emotional” when he was told demand for the huge gig was so big, a second night would be added.

He told Red magazine: “You never really know until you put a show on sale if anyone is interested. It’s really emotional.

“I’m absolutely delighted that it’s all back on and I love them all dearly like brothers.”

When he’s not with the band, Alex is kept busy on the farm he lives on with wife Claire and their five children, but he admitted the adjustment between the two very different lifestyles can be tricky.

He laughed: “The last time I went away, I dropped the kids at school and flew to Mexico City, where there were thousands of people waiting for us at the airport and hotel.

“When we got to the venue –a stadium – it was huge.

“But afterwards, you get home and you have to wash up and the kids are like, ‘Dad, stop being a w*****.’ “

Blur recently embarked on a number of warm-up gigs but before their summer shows, which include festival appearances in Spain and France, and a headline gig in Dublin, Alex is hoping to lose some weight by cutting back on his beloved cheese.

He sighed: “I need to squeak back into my trousers. I put on a lot of weight in lockdown.

“Cheesemakers tend to be a certain shape and bass players tend to be a different shape.”