His character 'Den Perry' burned down the club in the hit comedy series 'Phoenix Nights', but Master of Comedy, Ted Robbins brought down the house when he hosted the first 'Great Big Irwell Valley Variety Show 2012' talent competition.
6 Acts – all Irwell Valley Housing customers – made it through several weeks of auditions to perform at the Variety Show before an audience of 200 family and friends at the Elizabethan Suite at Bury Town Hall.
Ted - star of tv comedy hits such as 'Phoenix Nights', 'Benidorm' and 'Mount Pleasant' - entertained the guests with rib breaking jokes before announcing the winner - Kate Bethall from Bolton, who won over the judging panel with an emotional and show stopping rendition of Eva Cassidy's 'Somewhere Over The Rainbow'.
Kate (pictured above with Ted) received a cheque for £250,00, a Gold Star statue and a recording session at a Manchester studio.
For Kate, 20, it really is a dream come true. She lives in an Irwell Valley Supported Housing scheme and hopes one day to be a professional singer and sign up to a record label.
Kate said: “I really didn"t expect to win. The other performers were fantastic but as it says in the song, if you dare to dream and take advantage of opportunities like tonight thanks to Irwell Valley Housing, then the dreams can come true.”
Runners up 11 yr old Amy Smith from Eccles, Logan Rose just 9 yrs and James Collins - both from Sale West Estates - Catherine Burns from Salford, and Millie Johnson, Bolton also received a statue and a recording session.
Announcing the winner: Left to right: James Collins, Millie Johnson, Kate Bethell, Logan Rose, Catherine Burns, Amy Smith, Lynne Shaw (Panel Judge, Irwell Valley), Host,Ted Robbins, Tom Manion (CEO. Irwell Valley)
Any one of the performers could be an X Factor or Britain"s Got Talent winner – so watch
this space.