In the 10 years since he won the first series of ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ singer Paul Potts has sold nearly five million albums, performed more than 800 times across 44 countries and released several best-selling albums - but he’s never performed in Pembrokeshire...until now!

Having sung at concert venues all over the world from Seoul to Sydney, Paul said he was very happy to to headline The Rotary Club of Narberth and Whitland’s annual Autumn Charity Concert at the Follies Theatre at Folly Farm on November 4.

“I’ve never performed in Pembrokeshire before, so it will be a new experience,” said Paul at a special press conference at Folly Farm on Tuesday, held in conjunction with concert organisers The Rotary Club of Narberth and Whitland.

“It’s not the first association I’ve had with the Rotary organisation, as I performed at the Olympic Velodrome in Seoul, with Rotary international earlier this year.”

Paul also said that 10 years after winning the Britain’s Got Talent competition, he gets recognised now more than ever across the world.

“In Seoul, I was walking through the streets and somebody nearly walked into the road as they stepped back to see if it was me. I’ve also had police officers chase me for a photo, which is a bit bizarre!”

Having only in the past few years learnt to drive himself, he admits that the music choices of his wife Julie-Ann as ‘designated driver’ have influenced some of his more ‘off the wall’ cover versions to go alongside the more traditional Operatic tunes that he is best known for.

“My last album featured a Foo Fighters track and Guns N Roses’ November Rain, so people can definitely expect a mixture of influences when they come to see one of my concerts, if they’ve never seen me perform before.”

Rotarian John Hughes said that the organisation were ‘absolutely thrilled’ to have Paul and all the other performers lined up for the night taking part in the concert.

The singer will be supported by Whitland Male Choir, Violinist Lily Whitehurst, and Soprano Sioned Llewelyn of Efailwen.

Pics. Powerpix Photography

Pembrokeshire goes Potty for Paul

The Rotary Club of Narberth and Whitland are absolutely delighted that multi-platinum album star Paul Potts, is to headline their annual Autumn Charity Concert at the Follies Theatre, Folly Farm and the concert will push the amount raised at Rotary’s Autumn concerts at Folly Farm past the magnificent sum of £40,000.

Paul shot to fame as the first winner of Britain’s Got Talent, and who could forget that spine-tingling moment when he sang Puccini’s ‘Nessun Dorma’ to win both the show and the hearts of the nation.

The Concert on Saturday, November 4 is a charity concert promoted by the Rotary Club of Narberth and Whitland with the generous support of Folly Farm Adventure Park and Zoo and the Rotary Club is delighted to announce this week that the concert proceeds will support three very worthwhile headline charities, namely The Wales Air Ambulance, The Paul Sartori Foundation and Treat Trust Wales whilst the Rotary Club will use some of the money during the year to support charitable works locally, nationally and internationally.

We are of course familiar with the sterling work done by the Wales Air Ambulance and the Paul Sartori Hospice at Home in Pembrokeshire and we are also very pleased to be supporting Treat Trust Wales, a Charity founded in 2000 by Melanie Davies, who became a paraplegic following a horrific motorbike accident. The Charity is working to build a world class centre of excellence for rehabilitation and therapy on land at Morriston Hospital, Swansea.

Narberth and Whitland Rotary Club is extremely grateful to Chris Ebsworth and team at Folly Farm for the tremendous support that they give Rotary, on this and many other occasions.

The concert is headlined by Paul Potts, who will be supported by Whitland Male Choir, Violinist Lily Whitehurst, (from Tenby and now living in Manchester), and Soprano Sioned Llewelyn of Efailwen.

Rotarian John Hughes of the Rotary Club of Narberth and Whitland, said that the Club was extremely fortunate that Paul is coming to Pembrokeshire for this concert.

“His enduring passion for music has seen Paul performing in many of the World’s leading venues including Sydney Opera House, having his own headline show at The Royal Albert Hall, and performing in front of more than a million people at Brandenburg Gate in Berlin,” he said.

Paul is this year celebrating 10 years since winning Britain’s Got Talent and he will be releasing his fifth studio album later this month.

Aptly titled ‘On Stage’ the album will feature a majestic interpretation of Impossible Dream from The Man of La Mancha, Till I Hear You Sing (which he says is “from the underrated sequel to Phantom of the Opera, Love Never Dies, which has great passion and power”), Bring Him Home from Les Misérables, and a vulnerable rendition of Send in the Clowns from A Little Night Music, which Paul admits is one of his personal favourites.

“I love the simplistic beauty and sadness of that song. It shows that passion doesn’t necessarily need a high octane, high pitch note for it to be touching,” he said.

“There is something in the understated in Sondheim’s music here that really strikes a chord with audiences all over the world.”

Tickets for the concert are already proving to be in great demand with over two thirds having already sold and well under 200 now still available. Tickets, priced at £25 can be purchased online from Narberth and Whitland Rotary Club website www.rotarywales.co.uk and are also available from Dale’s Music Shop, Tenby and from the Creative Café, High Street, Haverfordwest.

Tickets can also be purchased from members of Narberth and Whitland Rotary Club, and from Mr. Huw Jones of Whitland and District Male Choir, (01994 448303). Enquiries can also be made to Rotarian John Hughes on 01834 842552.