It’s not Christmas dinner without turkey and this year stars like Alexandra Burke and the power couple that is One Direction’s Zayn Malik and Little Mix’s Perrie Edwards could be sitting down to a bird reared not far from here.

The chances are you wouldn’t guess who the man who raised them is, either. It’s none other than JLS star turned farmer JB Gill, from Croydon.

Since JLS called it a day last year, the 28-year-old has been focussing more of his time on the 10-acre farm in Biggin Hill he bought four years ago.

Gill said: “I guess it was an organic decision, excuse the pun.

“I had the space and didn’t want it to be a wasted space. A few people mentioned getting into farming but I didn’t really have the time while I was in JLS to do it.

“I am still learning but I love being outdoors. It’s definitely a lifestyle thing for me and my family. It’s so close to nature and seeing it first-hand.”

While he is still involved in showbusiness, the land is his primary employment.

“The focus is predominantly farming at the moment,” he said. “Everything else falls into line behind that.”

“It’s great because it frees me up to spend time with my son because I became a father for the first time and got married this year.

“It is really, really nice to spend time with the family and not be travelling away for weeks and months on end.”

Gill said he was approached by Kelly Turkeys to farm the birds and jumped at the chance.

He said: “Really, it is just an extension of the farm I have here. I’ve got pigs and chickens and more of a domestic farm.

“It has been a steep learning curve and something that I’m new to but it’s a huge passion and I’m enjoying getting to know the turkey business.”

He added: “They are free range, woodland range so they go in and out at will.

“They have shelters but they are not enclosed. It’s up to them what they want to do and you kind of leave them to their own devices.

“They grow slowly, they mature slowly but they are good sizes, good weights and excellent tastes when it comes to Christmas.”

With so many old friends in the pop world, it is no surprise that JB’s turkeys have been flying off the shelves to his showbiz mates, with Alexandra Burke, Pussycat Doll Kimberley Wyatt, JLS buddy Oritse and Marvin Hume’s dad and potentially even 1D’s Zayn and Little Mix’s Perrie placing orders.

“A lot of people are showing love and I appreciate it. Hopefully they will be impressed with the turkey and coming back for more.”