One of Alfie Boe's greatest influences has always been the enigmatic frontman of Queen, Freddie Mercury, with his own musical career being fused with a passion for the rock band. As an early rock-opera experiment, a young Boe made a demo for Queen’s sound engineers at Abbey Road, and last year performed on stage with its lead guitarist, Brian May. In this film, Alfie explores the life of his hero to discover more about the man behind the music. Including unseen footage of Freddie Mercury at college, soon after his family arrived in England, just how did the flamboyant persona emerge and what lay behind Freddie's move from rock to opera. Directed by Harvey Lilley for Brook Lapping.

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Peter Freestone's Chili Con Carne Recipe

"I used to make it when Freddie wanted something filling and warm, generally it was a winter warmer. It also made regular appearances at Freddie’s parties as he always wanted hot food served. This was the beef representative. We always had a lamb curry, this chilli and jambalaya for the hot dishes." Peter Freestone, Blog 68, www.freddiemercury.com

Chilli Con Carne

500gm lean minced beef

1 large onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1 beef stock cube

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon chilli powder

1 410gm tin chopped tomatoes

1 410gm tin red kidney beans

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Salt and pepper

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Cook the onions and garlic for about 7-10 minutes until they are soft. Add the meat and cook for about 15 minutes until starting to brown. Mix in the stock cube, cumin, coriander, chilli powder and seasoning and cook for a further 10-15 minutes. Add the tomatoes and mix well. Cover and cook gently for at least an hour. This can cook gently for longer with no detriment to the taste. Add the drained kidney beans and cook for a further ½ hour. We always served this with plain boiled rice.

Perspectives: Alfie Boe - Freddie Mercury

One of Alfie Boe's greatest influences has always been the enigmatic frontman of Queen, Freddie Mercury, with his own musical career being fused with a passion for the rock band. As an early rock-opera experiment, a young Boe made a demo for Queen’s sound engineers at Abbey Road, and last year performed on stage with its lead guitarist, Brian May. In this film, Alfie explores the life of his hero to discover more about the man behind the music. Including unseen footage of Freddie Mercury at college, soon after his family arrived in England, just how did the flamboyant persona emerge and what lay behind Freddie's move from rock to opera. Directed by Harvey Lilley for Brook Lapping.

Alfie's Perspectives episode on Freddie Mercury is currently scheduled for broadcast 18 May on ITV at 10 PM (UK TV)