Just 19 at the time, he struggled to follow up the song’s success, but has since built a career as a songwriter, producer and actor.

Although he regularly tours the UK, Hawkes lives in Los Angeles with his American wife, Kristina, and their three children. 

“I always wanted to be a musician. I wasn’t bothered about being a ‘pop star’ – I just wanted to play guitar for a living. My dad [Chip Hawkes] was a member of The Tremeloes and one of my earliest memories is watching him at a gig… leather trousers, open-neck shirt, hair flowing in the breeze! That was the life for me.

“My love of music ruined my school years. I wasn’t interested in homework – I just wanted to practise my guitar and listen to The Beatles. Looking back, I wish I’d knuckled down a bit more and I’ve made sure that my kids don’t make that same mistake.

“At 17, I was playing piano in local wine bars when I got the offer to star in a film called Buddy’s Song. The best thing was that I was going to be working with Roger Daltrey from The Who. The film did OK, but then I released one of the songs from the film, The One And Only.

“Overnight, I went from being a nobody to the cover of almost every pop magazine in the world. At one point, I was told that I had more covers than New Kids On The Block! It was a fairy tale – everything I’d ever dreamed of. I was on Top Of The Pops and playing to packed arenas with the fans going crazy.

“Fans would turn up at the hotel; they’d chase my car. I loved every minute of it but, at the same time, it also felt like I was caught up in a violent hurricane. I was being blown all over the place and I didn’t have much control over what happened. That was my big mistake. I wish I’d been more hands-on with my career.

"Maybe I’m being too hard on myself. I was only 19 when The One And Only became a hit. At that age, you’re still learning about the world and about yourself, and trying to find out who you are. I had become a pop star, but I didn’t really want to be one. I admired artists like John Lennon and Prince.

“After the hit, I tried to get the record company interested in my songs, but all they wanted was another pop song. Eventually, they must have thought, ‘Hang on, this kid’s not playing the game’ and they dropped me. Just like that. One minute I was a member of the ‘club’, drinking champagne in the spotlight.

"The next, I was thrown into the alley by the bouncers.

“I’ll admit that there were some dark times. I’d just bought a house and suddenly realised I had no money to pay for it – I didn’t make a penny from The One And Only until 10 years after it was a hit. I remember sitting on a mattress in a bare front room, wondering what was going to happen to me.

"All those people that had been my ‘friends’ no longer answered the phone. On top of that, my girlfriend dumped me. Thank God I was surrounded by a strong family. They stopped me disappearing down the rabbit hole.

“It took a while, but, bit by bit, I started to put my life back together. I did some writing and producing with new artists and some acting, then some TV stuff to keep the wolf from the door. I still tour and play my music. For the past five years, I’ve also done panto. People can get snooty about panto, but it’s a British tradition!

“Best of all, with panto I get to take the mickey out of myself. I always make sure there are plenty of One And Only jokes in the script. As I’ve got older, I started to realise what really matters in this world – love and happiness. And I’m the happiest bloke in the world!”

Chesney plays Prince Benedict in Worthing Theatre’s Snow White from December 1 to January 1. See worthingtheatres.co.uk.