‘There might be sequins!'

BGT winner Jon Courtenay on preparing for the Royal Variety Performance

- VICTORIA WILSON

ROYAL VARIETY PERFORMANCE

NEW TUESDAY / ITV / 8PM / ENTERTAINMENT

Comedy pianist Jon Courtenay won the heart of the nation and made Britain’s Got Talent history back in October when he became the first Golden Buzzer act to win the ITV juggernaut.

After being crowned the champion of series 14, Jon walked away with a £250,000 prize plus a coveted place on the bill of the Royal Variety Performance, which airs on ITV this week.

Comedian and actor Jason Manford hosts the event from Blackpool’s Opera House Theatre, where a star-studded line-up including Michael Ball, Gary Barlow and Sheridan Smith will perform for a virtual audience watching at home.

Having been on the circuit for some 30 years now, Jon has always held a special place in his heart for the Royal Variety Performance.

Here, in an exclusive interview, dad-of-two Jon, 47, tells TV Times why he’s finally living his dream…

Looking back now, how would you describe your experience on BGT?

Well, from getting Ant and Dec’s Golden Buzzer at the auditions, being picked by the judges in the semi-finals, then winning, it doesn’t get much better than that really. I’ve had a passion for entertaining people since I was six years old, and I don’t normally get nervous on stage. But, I’ll admit, performing at the BGT final, there were a lot more nerves than usual. Just little old me sat on that stage at the piano, with no live audience, a giant LED wall and the four judges watching, was quite surreal. I certainly had time to get stage fright!

How did you rate your chances of success before the final?