Singing opera

Jason Manford has won ITV’s charity talent show Born To Shine, after learning how to sing opera.

The comic sang Maria and Brindisi alongside 14-year-old chorister George Clark, who had mentored him for the show.

The pair triumphed in the 90-minute live final, which also acted as a telethon for Save The Children.

Each celebrity taking part had been mentored by a different teenager, with actor Nick Moran learning piano, Emmerdale actors Tony Audenshaw and Lesley Dunlop jiving, Tracy-Ann Oberman folk-singing and rugby player Gareth Thomas playing the harp.

The event raised an estimated £1.3million for after the government promised to match donations made by viewers.

Here is footage from an earlier heat, featuring Manford’s opera singing:

Published: 21 Aug 2011