INTERVIEW: Britain's Got Talent

And it couldn't have happened to a nicer, more grounded, more deserving young man.

Now George Sampson, 14, and the nine other acts that reached the final are off on a 18-date tour around the UK which is at the Brighton Centre on June 9 and will finish at the Newcastle Arena on June 23.

And nobody could be more surprised to find himself topping the bill than George himself.

"Honestly," he says, "I never thought I'd win. I'm never normally nervous. But when it came to the final and I looked into that camera, I was thinking this would be the largest crowd I'd ever perform for. My heart was hammering. But then I saw the three judges smiling away and I thought: 'Just go for it!'

"When my name was read out, my mind went blank. It felt as if I was in a dream. Then the two guys from Signature came over and shook my hand and I realised it was for real.

"But I'm still on a bit of a cloud. I'm existing on adrenaline at the moment because my head's spinning and it's difficult to sleep. A couple of weeks ago, I was just a 14-year-old lad from Warrington. And now all this. It's crazy!"

If George's words come out in a tumble, it's easy to understand why. He says his world has been turned upside down and he's not talking about his break-dancing routine. But, typically, he's modest about his own talents. "I'm not a born dancer," he says. "I've got no natural flair. I've got where I am because I've worked hard."

And the credit for that, says George, can be placed at the feet of an inspirational teacher, Royston Swann '“ universally known as Swanny '“ who taught dance at the local high school. "Swanny was only 41 when he died from pneumonia two years ago," says George. "That was the worst thing that's ever happened to me. It hit me really hard.

"Swanny had always told me never to give up, to stay strong, to stay determined. So, as I danced my Singin' in the Rain routine in the final, I told myself I was doing it for Swanny. I'm not sure where he is now but I knew in some way he was up there smiling down on me. He knows I won and that makes me feel good."

George has pledged to pay off his mum's mortgage but how's he going to treat himself? "I've got a dance troupe called Access 2 All Areas '“ or A2AA '“ with my sister, Rosie, and two others. I want to take them to LA. America is the home of break-dancing. And I plan to buy a summerhouse to put in the garden. It'll have electricity and a TV and be my own private den to which I can invite mates to sleep over. Mum says no girls. But we'll see!"

George suffers from a mild form of Scheuermann's disease which can cause curvature of the spine but his doctors have given him the all-clear to undertake the tour.

"I'm looking forward to touring the UK and appearing in the Royal Variety Show," he says. "I'll sit my GSCEs next summer and then go to dance college. I'd like to meet Paul Potts who won the competition last year and get his advice; he's a real hero of mine."

George has won the respect of everyone involved in the competition and that includes Suleman Mirza, 29, and Madhu Singh, 34, who make up second-placed Signature. "He's a great guy," says Suleman, "and I'm pleased a dance act won the contest. This was an old-style variety show but with cutting edge acts, as people will discover if they come and see us on tour."

Suleman, a trainee lawyer, and Madhu, who works for PC World, first got together when each was auditioning for a show at the Millennium Dome. "We admired each other's work," says Madhu, "and then decided to try a fusion of the sort of Michael Jackson songs Suleman likes and the bhangra music I enjoy."

They were astonished, they say, to find themselves as runners-up in such a major competition. "The day before the final," reveals Suleman, "we had a call from Tito Jackson '“ some of the Jacksons are living in Barnstaple in Devon at the moment '“ wishing us good luck."

Then two days later, there was a text. "It said: 'Michael is aware of your act. He thinks you guys are awesome.' Isn't that incredible?" says Madhu. "Now, our dream is to work with him on his comeback tour."

Do well in Britain's Got Talent and your dreams really can come true, it seems. Young Andrew Johnston, 13, would like little better than a career like his hero's, Andrea Bocelli. "I can think of nothing better," says Andrew, "than singing all over the world."

And he's not worried what will happen to his voice when it breaks. "It will deepen but I hope it will also expand." The head chorister at Carlisle Cathedral is his own harshest critic, though. "People say I have the voice of an angel but I don't really believe that. I'm sure I can improve."

He's gaining in confidence all the time. "I'd never held a microphone and sung on stage before this contest," he says. "Now I feel more at home performing in front of an audience. I was OK in the final until it came to the judging part and then I got quite emotional. I just didn't want the experience to end. Being part of Britain's Got Talent is the best thing that's ever happened to me."

Still, at least he has the tour to look forward to, says Andrew. He'll be recreating his acclaimed performance of Pie Jesu '“ and performing a duet with Faryl Smith of Walking in the Air, made famous originally by another of Andrew's heroes, Aled Jones. "I can't wait to sing with Faryl. She's got an amazing voice."

Apprentice plumber Andrew Muir, 24, is also looking forward to the tour. "I wasn't happy with my performance in the final," he says. "But then I didn't think John Lennon's Imagine was the right song for me." Out on the road, Andrew will be singing Paul Simon's You Can Call Me Al as well as Paolo Nutini's Last Request, both of which he sang on his way to the final.

His ambitions are modest, he claims. "I'd be happy with carrying on with the day job and continuing to sing at weekends. But it would be great to get a recording contract. I write my own material and I'd love to record some of that. I suppose you could say that I'm quietly determined '“ just like George, in fact. I think he won because he embodied the message that you should never give up."

Giving up is the last thing on the mind of all-female classical quarter Escala. Chantal Leverton, 25, Tasya Hodges, 26 and Victoria Lyon and Izzy Johnston, both 24, have been playing their instruments '“ cello, viola and two violins '“ almost all their lives. Chantal met Tasya while touring with the chart-topping band, McFly, and they decided to put their own group together. They all share the same dream, they say. "We want to be as successful and respected in the industry we love," says Tasya, "as possible."

It's a sentiment echoed by the five members of Nemisis, the dance troupe from Milton Keynes, who've been together a year now and who originally practised their moves at a bus stop. Their ultimate ambition, according to group member, Samantha Jenkins, 22, is to win the British Championships and then represent the UK in the World Championships in America.

Extreme martial arts duo, Strike '“ Daniel Ball, 22, and Liam Richards, 19 '“ have travelled the world separately and together both in performance and competition. "We even toured with Jean-Claude van Damme," says Daniel, "when he was doing martial arts seminars across the globe." Now, both dream of finding work as film stunt men and raising the profile of martial arts in the UK.

Those Cheeky Monkeys have a few years to go before they reach the top of their profession. But for lively eight-year-olds Charlie Dixon and Krista Hyatt, there's everything to play for. They were introduced by Krista's dance teacher and hit it off immediately, subsequently winning every competition they've ever entered. "Charlie can be a bit bossy," says Krista, "but we're the best of friends."

Man's best friend '“ or so they say '“ is his dog. In this instance, make that her dog'¦ Sixteen-year-old Katie Nicholas, who's in her first year at college studying animal management, couldn't be closer to her collie, Gin. "I've had her for six years," says Katie. "Originally, we were just mucking about in the garden and then I started teaching her a few tricks. It escalated from there."

As the owner of the only dog in the UK who walks backwards on her hind legs at her mistress's command, Gin has become something of a celebrity in her own right. "We're recognised everywhere we go," says Katie. "Gin seems to lap up all the attention." She has one firm fan from the Britain's Got Talent final '“ and that's young George Sampson. "Who did I think was going to win?" he says. "It should have been Gin. That dog is just so cute!"

For details of Britain's Got Talent Live call 08700 112 626 or click here

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