TV spot is just reward for Craig

8:31am Thursday 12th June 2008

Six months ago Craig Harper was another struggling comic trying to make a name on the northern club circuit.

Now he can't even do the school run without getting mobbed for his autograph.

"I'm looking to start a fan club - at the age of 35! There's talk of T-shirts and key rings, it's mad!" grins the Heckmondwike father-of-two, who's back on home ground soon for shows at Batley Frontier Club and Cleckheaton Town Hall.

It's all down to Britain's Got Talent, ITV's hit talent show which showcased acts as diverse as martial arts, streetdancing children and a dancing dog. Craig reached the semi-final only to be knocked by judge Simon Cowell who put dance group Nemesis through to the final instead.

It was quite a blow for Craig, who had captured viewers' hearts with his comedy singing impressions of acts like Enrique Iglesias, Shirley Bassey and Barry White. A highlight was Craig's impressive take on Boyzone, featuring eerily accurate impressions of Ronan Keating and Stephen Gateley, performed while he leapt around mimicking the other three.' He may not have reached the final, but the show certainly got Craig noticed. "It takes me two hours to go through my e-mails. People from all over the country want to know when I'm appearing in their town," he says. "The past few weeks have been mad - I keep meeting myself coming back! People keep asking for my autograph, it's surreal.

"I went out for a meal with my wife Carol in Birstall last night and a couple of young lads were taking my picture on a mobile. They looked a bit nervous so I said, Come and say hello lads, don't be shy.' It's wonderful that people are so supportive."

It's a far cry from his days doing the club rounds. He was starting to wonder whether he'd ever make it, when along came the Manchester auditions for Britain's Got Talent.

"It was fantastic, in six months it turned my life around," says Craig. "I've had so much support. People come up and say You were robbed, you should've been in the final.' "Like I told the judges, I think they needed some comedy in the final. In the end it was between me and Nemesis and Simon Cowell had the casting vote. He contradicted himself because initially he'd said that acts like me don't get enough chances, then he went and chose a young southern dance act. There was quite a North/South divide in that contest."

Despite that, Craig says the backstage atmosphere was supportive, as well as being unbearably tense.

"The producers kept changing our time slots around, and the content of our performances, to keep us on our toes. It was amazing walking out to that crowd, with 12 million people watching!

"I can barely remember what I did in the semi-final, only that I couldn't hear my voice properly. It had gone well in rehearsals but during the live show the audience was so loud, I could only just hear the beat of the music."

What does he think of the winner, breakdancer 14-year-old George Sampson?

"He's a nice lad," says Craig. "He can dance, but so can thousands of youngsters. When you look at the acts in the final, I'm not sure there are many with enough material to sustain a whole show.

"This programme brought variety back to TV. I grew up on shows like Opportunity Knocks, which produced some great talent, but they disappeared. The success of Britain's Got Talent has proved there's a big audience for variety. The comic Duncan Norvelle sent his regards to me and said he was pleased that someone like me had got so far because there isn't normally the opportunity on TV. Most talent shows are all about singing. I'd love to present a variety show."

On the show, after judge Amanda Holden had conceded that it may be Craig's last chance, he was close to tears telling presenters Ant and Dec how he'd spent years driving up and down motorways at stupid o'clock in the morning' to and from clubs. But that background was valuable experience.

"I've played in all kinds of venues to all kinds of audiences, I know the business. I'm not a kid who thinks he can make it overnight," says Craig. "That's why I appreciate the recognition I'm getting now.

"I've always wanted to do a theatre tour. We're doing a few dates this summer to see how it goes. I'm getting all kinds of offers - someone mentioned a gig in Portugal and I've been asked to present Yorkshire's Got Talent."

Born in Hull, Craig used humour early on to cope with being teased at school. "I realised I could make people laugh and I started performing at old people's afternoon teas until I was old enough for the clubs. I admire comics like Billy Pearce and Johnny Casson who've stayed true to their roots. We love it in Heckmondike - my wife said even if I make millions, we're not moving!"

Craig is working on some new impressions, and he reveals that one is based on Britain's Got Talent. "I come on with a stuffed dog (a nod to Gin, the dancing dog who made the final). I'm also working on Louis Armstrong and Neil Diamond."

His ambition is to make the Royal Variety Show. "I'm determined to get there," he says.

Joining Craig at the Batley Frontier will be young opera singer Andrew Johnston, who came third in Britain's Got Talent, and fellow finalists The Cheeky Monkeys, alias rock n' roll dancing duo Krista Hyatt and Charlie Dixon.

Lee Lambert from Morley, the teenage pop singer who won BBC1's Let Me Entertain You this year, is also on the bill.

• Craig Harper is at the Batley Frontier Club on Wednesday, July 9 - for tickets ring (01924) 442122 - and Cleckheaton Town Hall on September 13 - or tickets ring (01484) 223200.

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