Monday, November 26, 2007

From selling cell phones to singing opera

Paul Potts (born 13 October 1970 in Bristol, England), from Port Talbot in South Wales, is a British singer who became the winner of the first series of ITV's Britain's Got Talent, singing operatic arias and impressing the judges in all of his performances. Potts had previously worked in unpaid opera productions from 1999 to 2003. However, a series of illnesses combined with a bicycle accident in 2003 brought an end to his amateur opera career. At the time of his 2007 victory on Britain's Got Talent, he had been working in The Carphone Warehouse.

Taken from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Potts

Take a look at the video!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1k08yxu57NA
Paul Potts
Name: Paul Potts
Age:36
Occupation: Mobile phone salesman
Lives: Port Talbot
Did you know?
Paul first sang opera at the age of 28 for a karaoke competition where he dressed up as Pavarotti.
He went on to perform in Barrymore’s My Kind Of Music (1999). The money he won from the show (£8000) along with his savings was spent on attending various training courses in Italy.
From his Italian opera class he was selected to sing in a master class for Pavarotti and Katia Ricciarelli – who he says were very impressed. Paul reckons he’s spent £20,000 in total to get to where he is today.
Paul has performed in four semi professional operas in the UK and some concerts. His proudest performance was with the philharmonic orchestra in a concert in front of 15, 000 people.
After having appendicitis doctors discovered a benign tumour that was removed. Two weeks after the operation he was back on stage.
A motorbike accident in 2003, in which he broke his collar bone, kept him away from performing and he got left out of the opera circles.
Since his illness, Paul has struggled with money and has never reached his potential, and this is why he chose to enter Britain’s Got Talent.
Paul has been married for four years to his wife Julie (26), whom he met in an internet chat room. They have been together for six years in total
Paul has worked at the Carphone warehouse for two years - one year as manager – before that he worked the night shift stacking shelves and personal shopping at Tesco.