Today marks Olly Murs’ 31st year on the planet, so we’ve knocked up 11 facts to refresh your Olly knowledge.

1. Olly is a twin, but the pair aren’t exactly two peas in a pod

Olly Murs
(John Phillips/PA)

Olly and his brother Ben fell out big-time when the singer was forced to miss his wedding to perform on the X Factor. Even though that was almost six years ago, the pair are still on difficult terms. Last year he told Jonathan Ross: “He’s my brother no matter what happens you always have a love for family. I’m hoping we’ll sort it out at some point”.

2. He didn’t win the X Factor

Joe McElderry, Stacey Solomon, Danyl Johnson and Olly Murs
Joe McElderry, Stacey Solomon, Danyl Johnson and Olly Murs (Fiona Hanson/PA)

Did you forget that Olly was actually a runner-up in the competition? We did. Olly came second to Joe McElderry (what happened to that guy?!) in 2009 but signed deals with Epic Records and Syco the same year.

3. He’s smaller than you might think

Olly stands at around 5’9 – the same height as Rihanna and Justin Bieber.

4. The X Factor wasn’t his first TV appearance

In 2007, Olly appeared on Deal or No Deal, but only managed to bag a mere £10.

5. He lived with his parents until 2012

You wouldn’t expect a chart-topping act like Olly to hang around his parents’ house long after making it big, but this mummy’s boy didn’t fly the nest until 2012. Despite being an A-lister and millionaire, Olly stayed put in Witham, Essex, for three years after finding fame on the X Factor.

6. Sorry everyone, Olly’s already got a lady in his life

Olly met property manager Francesca Thomas at V Festival in 2012 and the pair fell in lurve, but the Dear Darlin hitmaker is keen to keep his lady out of the spotlight. “I want my girlfriend to have a normal life and normal friends,” he told the Sun.

7. He fangirled over Paul Weller

Paul Weller
(Jonathan Brady/PA)

The Essex lad had the chance to work with rock legend Paul Weller on his latest album, which Olly described as “surreal”. He told the Metro newspaper: ‘Some people might go, “Oh, you’re from X Factor, you don’t write your own songs, rah, rah, rah.” He continued: “I felt like Paul was going to be one of those characters, but he wasn’t. We had a right laugh and we wrote a song together. I think that’s what it should be.”

8. He and Robbie Williams struck up a bromance in his X Factor days

Robbie Williams and Olly Murs
(Dave Howarth/PA)

The pair duetted Robbie’s hit Angels on the X Factor 2009 final, and the blossoming bromance began. Since then, Olly has supported Robbie on his Take the Crown stadium tour and the pair duetted the Jungle Book song I Wanna Be Like You on Williams’ swing album.

9. Pre-X Factor, Olly’s life was far from glamorous

Olly Murs runs with the ball
(Joel Ryan/AP)

Before finding fame on the X Factor under Simon Cowell’s wing, Olly worked in a call centre and played for his local football team, Witham Town. In his spare time, he sang in a band called the Small Town Blaggers.

10. You can meet the man himself (well, a wax version anyway) in Blackpool

In March this year, Olly was honoured with a wax tribute in Madame Tussauds in Blackpool. At the launch, he gushed “There is no greater honour than having a wax figure created.”

11. He’s got an impressive assortment of accolades

Olly Murs
(Christian Charisius/AP)

Olly has scooped two Radio 1 Teen Awards; one in 2011 for Best British Album and one in 2013 for Best British Solo Artist, and recently scooped a Goldene Kamera award for Bet International Music. He’s clocked up an impressive five Brit Award nominations, two Ivor Novello nominations and a just missed out on the MTV Europe Award for Best UK & Ireland Act.