INNOCENT'S GOT TALENT

South African tenor wins hearts in London with his impressive opera skills

- JANICE BECKETT-MSIZA

HE KNEW he had big shoes to fill taking on Nessun Dorma, the iconic aria immortalised by Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti. But drawing on his years of experience he took a deep breath, quelled his nerves - and knocked it out of the park.

South African opera singer Innocent Masuku stepped up and rose to the occasion, delivering a breathtaking rendition that captivated all in the finals of Britain's Got Talent (BGT).

His performance was not just a test of his talent, it also moved BGT judge Bruno Tonioli to tears. He even impressed the show's toughest judge, Simon Cowell, who mentioned that no previous contestant had sung the classic as well as this tenor had.

In the end Innocent (34) came a solid fourth in the hit talent-search show but he'd touched hearts around the world and put himself on the map.

"There are so many people who audition for this show, so many acts," he tells YOU from London.

"It's difficult to compare yourself to a singer from a different genre, to a choir, to a magician and dancers so it's really hard to just say that I knew I'd make it this far." To him, BGT felt less like a competition and more like a grand concert showcasing a variety of talents. Innocent saw it as the perfect stage to shine a spotlight on his opera skills.

"I've never done anything like this and I figured it might open more doors for me and bring opera once again to a larger audience," he says.

Being the first of this season's contestants to make it to the finals was the biggest highlight of the competition for Innocent.

"If you saw my reaction on stage you'd know that it took some time for my brain to process it. It was really unbelievable, I was so excited. It made me feel so special."