In 2016, I reached the live semi finals as a Britain’s Got Talent impressionist, performing a fast paced routine of celebrity impressions. What began as a slightly terrifying invitation to audition became one of the biggest and most memorable experiences of my career.
I was already working full time as a professional voiceover artist and impressionist when the Britain’s Got Talent team discovered one of my celebrity impression videos on YouTube.
Until then, most of my work had taken place behind a microphone in my voiceover studio. I had never developed a stage act, so the idea of performing in front of Simon Cowell and millions of television viewers was both exciting and absolutely terrifying!
After making it through the initial auditions, I was invited to perform at the Dominion Theatre in London in front of Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon and David Walliams.
My audition included impressions of David Attenborough, Jeremy Clarkson, Gok Wan, Gordon Ramsay, Ant and Dec and Boris Johnson. When I reached my Declan Donnelly impression, Dec walked out from the side of the stage and joined in. It was a proper moment!
The routine received “four yeses” and a standing ovation from all four judges. Simon Cowell described it as “the best and most original impressionist we’ve ever seen.” I was floored! I had never experienced a feeling like it in my life.
After my audition aired, ITV interviewed me about the experience, my impressions and how I first got started in voiceover. Read my official Britain’s Got Talent interview on ITV.
Following the audition and the judges’ deliberations, I appeared on a reveal show, where I was selected as one of the acts appearing in the 2016 live semi finals.
For my second performance, I decided to do something completely different. Something that no impressionist that had gone before me had done. I transformed the stage into a celebrity restaurant and served up a collection of impressions and character voices live on ITV. We had Ramsay as the chef, Chris Eubank, Brian Cox and Alan Sugar all dining. I was running round the BGT stage playing each role!
Performing on Britain’s Got Talent took me completely outside my comfort zone. I was more nervous than I had ever been in my life, but I knew that I had to seize the opportunity and show a national audience the range of voices and comedy characters I had spent years developing. It was something I simply could not turn down.
Reaching the live semi finals remains one of the proudest and most surreal moments of my career.
Since appearing on the programme, I have continued working as a professional celebrity impressionist, voiceover artist, presenter and live event host. My impressions and character voices have been used for television and radio commercials, animations, comedy videos, online content and live events.
You can hear more of my celebrity impressions, comedy characters and recognisable voice styles on my Impressionist page.
For bookings, bespoke impressions or information about using my voices in your production or event, please get in touch.