WHEN Paddy Wilde sang at an anti-bullying awards evening and his mum put the video on YouTube, he was talent spotted to appear in a new CBBC TV series.
Paddy, 12, a Year 8 student at Haslingden High School, and his mum Diane, a hairdresser at Wilde Designs in Waterfoot, spent three weeks in London over the summer recording the show Got What It Takes?
Hundreds competed in auditions for the singing show, which is currently running on CBBC on Wednesdays at 4.30pm presented by Lauren Platt, who came fourth in live finals of the X Factor in 2014.
Just eight young singers were picked and they are seen competing in a series of music industry challenges, but if they are not picked as one of the top two, their mum has to complete a forfeit so their child can go through to an end of programme sing off.
Paddy, from Waterfoot, said: “My mum had to become a bowling ball in the first show and knock skittles down and on the second show she had to complete an assault course.”
Fortunately for Paddy, Diane proved a skilful bowling ball and earned him a place in the sing off on the first show where he sung his favourite Ed Sheeran number Thinking Out Loud and the mums voted him the best.
The ninth show will see a public vote to decide who goes through to the final and the winner will be singing at the Radio One Big Weekend in Exeter in May.
Diane said: “Paddy was the only one who was scouted and, unlike the other singers, he does not have an agent. There is an actor and some of the singers are in The Brit School, where Adele started.
“He has done amazing and I am incredibly proud. He has the least experience of all of them and has not done any stage work and never been on TV.
“I am lucky that I have got a good team at the salon and I was able to take three weeks off for the filming. The customers have been very supportive and they are all following the show.
“It is an amazing opportunity for Paddy and he is always singing at home.”
Paddy said: “I like football and other sports but lots of people want to make it as a footballer; I want to be a singer.
“I would always be singing in the car and when I was at St Anne’s CE School in Waterfoot my mum said I should have a go and join the choir. I did, and I got to sing a solo.
“My mum then agreed to get me singing lessons and I auditioned for the TeenStar Singing Competition in 2014 and got through to the semi-final.
“I am a little bit embarrassed at seeing myself on TV because it is hard to remember what happens next in the programme, but people have said well done to me and that I am good.
“Singing is a cool hobby.”
Paddy was not allowed to say how he gets on in the show until the final is broadcast in March.
Pictures c/o BBC