Celebrity Traitors star James Blunt - who loves London so much he bought a pub here - reveals his favourite local Italian restaurant, what constitutes a ‘frightening experience’ for him, and why he likes watching clubbers return home… from horseback.

I spent many, many years living in London, but now I’m lucky enough to move around between Ibiza and Verbier in Switzerland. I do work in London a lot because I have a pub called the Fox & Pheasant in Chelsea. I’ve just bought another pub, the Carpenter’s Arms, on the border of Hammersmith and Chiswick.

Around 1997 I lived on Fulham Palace Road, above a dry cleaners and opposite a Sainsbury’s Local. You could walk across a zebra crossing and go straight in to buy booze. The dry cleaners was useful, too, for when you’d been sick on yourself afterwards.

I joined the army in 1996 and was in it for about six years. After I went to Kosovo in 1999 I worked as the Queen’s ceremonial bodyguard, based at Hyde Park Barracks. It was the most amazing job. It also gave me the opportunity to do concerts in tiny bars and clubs in north London in the evenings.

Obviously the Fox and Pheasant, because it’s such a romantic place. Or maybe the London Eye at night, so you can look across the whole of the city. I went to an amazing charity event on it once where Gordon Ramsay did a dinner and a new course was served each time it went round.

I think the most frightening experience is walking into a shop and a person walks up and says, “Can I help you?” I find that so confrontational. I much prefer online shopping, or at least being able to research it online so that when I walk into the shop I can find exactly what I want.

I think La Famiglia in Chelsea is a really wonderful restaurant. It’s an Italian and the ragu is incredible. I read that the neighbours are trying to close it down — there’s always one. It’s a really lovely old restaurant that needs protecting. Another great Italian is Il Portico on Kensington High Street. Then there’s Azteca on the King’s Road, a fantastic little Mexican, which I think is rather special.

The moment Boujis nightclub closed, a little bit of London died for me. Another favourite club in London was called Hanover Grand, and I would be there every Thursday night, but that’s gone now, too.

Probably my wife, then Jake Parkinson-Smith, the entrepreneur who used to do Raffles night club. If you’re looking for a night out in London, you call him.

“You look just like James Blunt, only smaller.” I’ve had that a few times.

I’d pedestrianise more of the city and make public transport cheaper and more effective. And can we plant some more trees while we’re at it? A dash more greenery would help.

Sir Robert Peel, the former prime minister and founder of the Metropolitan Police. And Queen Elizabeth II. She was pretty amazing.

I love Hyde Park. I used to get up at 5.30 in the morning and go and ride around it on the army horses. It was amazing to see everyone coming back from night clubs and various after parties just as the sun came up.

I’ve been to the National Portrait Gallery a few times. I keep looking for my portrait and I just can’t find it. So that’s why I keep going back.

Sir Elton John, who signed me to his management company when I first started out and really gives young musicians their first break. He took me out on tour around the UK and around South America.

My first concert with a band was to 50 people and the next night I supported Elton to something like 50,000 people. Some 20 years later, I played in the same venue supporting Ed Sheeran, who was also signed to Elton’s management firm. Two decades on and I was still the support act.

I was on The Traitors. It’s an amazing social experiment that proves, on the whole, that an uninformed majority will lose to an informed minority. Now I’ve got a new album out and I start a world tour in February.

James Blunt plays The O2 as part of his Airplane Mode Tour on April 4