Harry Hill look-a-like is on a mission

The similarity between him and the famous funnyman Harry Hill, presenter of ITV’s You’ve Been Framed, has enabled Paul to earn a living through entertaining, incorporating his look-a-like persona into his act, and help local charities along the way.

He says he has done a few look-a-like assignments, including one in the capital, and, closer to home, at Pudsey Carnival.

“I did the Pudsey Carnival once and three people were asking me for my autograph!” laughs Paul.

Following in his father Tommy Harper’s footsteps, Paul joined the entertainment business 30 years ago starting out as a drummer playing the local clubs.

“My father was a comedian in Bradford. He did a lot of TV work, he was on Opportunity Knocks, and I followed in his footsteps. I’ve been entertaining now for 30 years,” explains Paul.

Over the years Paul has helped to raise more than £30,000 for Cancer Research, a staggering sum, but they say charity begins at home.

The catalyst for Paul’s fundraising quest came after his Peruvian wife, Patricia, was diagnosed with leukaemia, cancer of the white blood cells, in 2009.

Patricia, who he met in Benidorm, is now in now in remission but the family are now turning their attentions to Patricia’s 14-year-old niece.

Romina is the daughter of Patricia’s sister, Charo, and her husband Frankie, and while Patricia no longer lives with her family in her native Peru, the family remains extremely close.

So when her niece was diagnosed with an Aneurysmal Bone Cyst, Patricia and Paul were devastated and despite their distance, living more than six thousand miles away in Bradford, they were determined to do all they could to help their family.

On bank holiday Monday, May 30 Paul is hosting a Helping Hand benefit cabaret show, featuring many well-known acts, including Saul, a famous multi-tribute entertainer who has been in the business for nearly 20 years, at Low Moor Club, Huddersfield Road, Bradford.

Working in the entertainment industry, Paul says he can always count on the support from friends he has made in the business.

Now he hopes the public will come along and enjoy the show and support his fundraising cause.

Paul’s aim is to raise as much money as possible to help Romina’s parents pay for the 11 hour operation she had to undergo to replace her spine with titanium plaques.

Thankfully, they discovered the cyst wasn’t cancerous but there was a chance that without the operation Romina may have been paralysed.

Unlike the UK, the family don’t have access to free healthcare and Romina’s parents have been forced to take out a loan to fund the £32,000 procedure.

Paul explains although their insurance policy covers 50 per cent of the cost, they still have to find £16,000.

In addition to that, Romina’s parents also need to find further funds to cover the cost of flights for Romina’s monthly check-ups to Lima where the operation took place.

However, it was a price they were willing to pay for the sake of their daughter’s health.

Paul explains how Romina’s symptoms began last February when she started suffering with pain in her lower back and leg.

Initially, she was prescribed antibiotics but when the pain worsened the family sought further medical advice.

Suspecting it could be a muscular problem, Romina was prescribed painkillers and physiotherapy.

“She only did one session and my sister paid for the MRI scan and CT scan. It was then that she was told it could be possibly an aneurysmal bone cyst in the spine,” explains Patricia.

“They also said it could be a possible Ewing sarcoma which is a very very aggressive cancer in the town where Romina lives. The doctors said there was nothing they could do, she would have to fly to Lima to see specialists and have a biopsy. This happened two weeks later.”

However, a biopsy was considered too dangerous due to the size and location of the cyst which was already impacting on Romina’s spine.

Specialists decided the only way to save Romina from being paralysed, and to check if the cyst was cancerous, was to perform the operation which she underwent on April 15.

Although Romina is now making a positive recovery, it will affect her in future.

Says Paul: “She will recover but she won’t be like a 14-year-old, she won’t be able to do PE, go on fairground rides or roller skating for the rest of her life.”

Romina is undergoing physiotherapy as part of her recovery. She cannot walk more than a few steps and cannot currently climb stairs, although Patricia says they hope this may improve.

“Romina is a very sweet 14-year-old girl and she has shown to be very brave and a strong girl,” she says.

“We hope she makes a full recovery back to life even with some limitations, at least she’s got a life.”

Now the family are hoping locals will support their charity benefit show.

Paul is already looking forward to performing. No stranger to the stage, he has also appeared on screen with parts in Britain’s best loved and longest running soap, Coronation Street, the ITV detective drama, Touch of Frost, starring Sir David Jason, the popular BBC sitcom, Only Fools and Horses and, more recently, BBC 2’s epic gangster drama, Peaky Blinders.

Paul says he cannot thank his fellow friends and fellow entertainers enough for rallying round to support their cause.

“If you have got a lot of loyal friends they pull together and support a good cause even if it’s personal because they support charities like Cancer Research and the British Heart Foundation and the Alzheimer’s Society but a personal one is personal and people do pull together.”

“I would like to thank all the acts concerned for giving up their time to help us raise money for Romina’s fund.”

And Paul says Romina and her family appreciate it too. “They are thrilled to bits in Peru,” he adds.

For more information call 07951 967597 or email paul.harper@sky.com