When Craig Everett used to spend Saturday nights watching MTV with his friends he never dreamed that one day programme makers would be calling him to help them.

Mr Everett, of Pellon Walk, Thackley, was stunned when four weeks ago MTV researchers called to ask him to create T-shirts for the channel's new show Backstage.

The father-of-four, 36, said: "I thought 'This is it'. I have been waiting for something like this to happen for a long time."

The artist and T-shirt designer uses a computer to create retro-style shirts with pictures of household names such as Hilda Ogden, Jim Bowen, the Smash Martians, Morecambe and Wise and the Charlie Says ads.

The T-shirts were worn by presenters Emma Griffiths and Anthony Crank on last week's show during a prime-time slot on Sunday.

Mr Everett said: "It is really amazing because all my inspiration is from MTV and it seems to have come full circle."

The former Eccleshill Upper School pupil began creating websites and computer-generated images after taking a distance- learning course in web design four years ago. He set up the company for his wife Natalie after she was made redundant

Researchers came across Mr Everett's designs while trawling the internet to find ideas that would appeal to their viewers.

Mr Everett said the shirts were proving very popular with more than 1,000 orders placed last month. "The website has gone mental and the phone never stops ringing," he said.

The popularity of the website has spurred Mr Everett on to set up a shop in Enterprise 5 at Five Lane Ends, Bradford.

He said: "A lot of people who come in are blown away and laugh. They absolutely love it.

"The guy from MTV said when the T-shirts arrived the detail in one of them was amazing.

"I've got the patience to do it and the skill, which I have spent years and years perfecting. But I know I still can improve my art."

Backstage presenter Anthony Crank said: "I'm a bit of a T-shirt collector and thought Craig's designs were fantastic, definitely something I would have in my wardrobe.

"I thought that in particular the Sir James Bowen T-shirt was super, smashing, great!"

Colleague Emma Griffiths said: "The T-shirts are cool. Mine's been stolen already!"

To view Mr Everett's T-shirts, visit www.funkin-l.com