05 September 2008 11:21



He's become Norfolk's most unlikely TV celebrity at the age of 80 - and has even got his own on-line fans' site.

Former carpenter Cyril Grant is lapping up being a star of ITV's X-Factor contest and still dreaming of winning the contest.

“I am 80-years-old, but I feel only half my age, it's a beautiful feeling,” said Cyril, who wants to invite his heartthrob Danii Minogue - one of the show's judges - round to his Swaffham home for a jive.

Most people at 80 would take a step back, enjoying a slower-paced life at home.

But not Cyril whose ambition is to dance, sing and play at least one of his five instruments at a packed Wembley Stadium.

The grandfather has always wanted to become a celebrity on Saturday at least eight million people tuned in to watch him in action.

Since then, requests for TV, radio and tabloid press interviews are streaming in, asking about his success recipe and his showmanship which impressed even the harshest of all X-factor jurors, Simon Cowell.

Cyril has a website where people can show their support and his daughter, Lyn, says she will try to have a few T-shirts printed with the inscription 'Nice One, Cyril' for his fans.

“All my life I've wanted to be a big star and never gave up on my dream. I decided to do the contest to show people that you're never too old to fulfil your dreams.”

Bursting with energy, he signed up to X-Factor earlier this year passing three preliminary auditions before impressing the official jury, scoring four “yes” for his song “Hey Good Lookin'.

At the beginning of August he was invited to do the boot camp stage at London's O2 concert arena.

The results have not come in yet, but he insists he is sworn to secrecy not to tell anything about the audition before it is aired on ITV1 later this year.

“If I pass that stage I'll have to go on to another secret stage before singing for one of the judges at their home.”

“When I did the audition in front of the judges they asked how old I was. When I told them I was 80 they wanted to know my secret I said I have two pieces of Weetabix every day. Marks and Spencer might consider me for a pose in one of their ads” he says more or less tongue-in-cheek.

Mr Grant says he never felt nervous about the audition and tried to calm the younger contestants who felt less confident.

“I was a father figure to them, being the oldest contestant on the show. They all wanted to know whether I was nervous, but I wasn't at all.”

Mr Grant arrived from his native Guyana in 1954 finding a job in a saw factory in London. It was in London's Camden Town that he first learned to play the saxophone and started performing in clubs and pubs.

Shortly before retirement his wife insisted to move to Swaffham where their only daughter Lyn and her family were already living.

“Nothing ruffles my dad's feathers,” said Lyn.

“He's a natural-born showman and he just loves dancing, singing and playing his saxophone. He's always happy to do shows anywhere and all offers are considered. I've never known him to say a bad word about anyone. His only passion is entertaining.”

And indeed anyone living in Swaffham can see Mr Grant walking regularly to the local library where he borrows saxophone books and scores to practise every day.

i need to learn to play and retire...

quote:

Originally posted by Terry Ishmael:
i need to learn to play and retire...

I need to retire so I can learn to play!