Simon out to be One and Only

It's not unusual for Tom Jones tribute act Simon Abbotts to step into the spotlight, but it could be his big break performing for millions on TV this weekend.

The 44-year-old from the Black Country is in the running to perform on BBCs The One and Only on Saturday night.

The show hosted by Graham Norton is a talent contest pitting the UKs top tribute acts against each other.

The overall winner will get a performing contract in Las Vegas with the renowned Legends In Concert, one of the world's longest-running celebrity impersonator shows.

Simon, of Carlton Close, Dudley, entered the BBC show last Saturday along with other lookalikes including tributes to everyone from Elton John to Kylie Minogue.

The former High Arcal pupil didn't land one of the secure places in the next round on Saturday.

But Simon, who has been performing professionally since he was 16-years-old including 10 years as Tom Jones, was thrown a lifeline in the shape of a wildcard pass.

It means he faces an agonising wait until the live show on Saturday to see if he is to continue in the competition.

Simon and the other contestants are being kept closely guarded by the programme makers and was not able to speak about the contest this week.

But his mother Val was biting her nails at home today ahead of Saturday's show. She said: "He has loved singing since he was 16 and it is now his full time job.

"He has performed all over the country and abroad. He started off doing covers of all sorts of music but then about ten-years ago he started the Tom Jones thing.

"He has got dark curly hair and people keep telling him he looks like Tom Jones which I think is a bit worrying as Tom Jones is in his 60s now.

"People have said in the past he must have lungs of steel and I suppose thinking back he did cry enough when he was a baby."

If Simon does get to perform on Saturday he will go up against other acts in a live vote-off starting at 6.25pm. The results show will then follow at 9.20pm.