BOLTON-born Elvis impersonator Brian Richards is hoping to take the country by storm when he struts his sparkling stuff on national TV next month.

The self-confessed Elvis nut, who was taught at the former Folds Road Secondary School in Bolton, will sing on Michael Barrymore's My Kind of Music show, accompanied by his wife "Priscilla" - really his 45-year-old wife Susan.

TV slots are nothing new to Brian however. His past TV appearances include The Big Breakfast with Chris Evans, an Arena documentary on BBC 2, an Elvis memorabilia advertising spot on QVC and numerous appearances on Japanese TV.

His spot on the Barrymore show, scheduled for April 19, will give him opportunity to wear one of his three £7,000 Presley outfits, made by manufacturers who provided the King's actual jewelled concert suits back in the 60s.

Brian said: "I want to take it as far as I can. I'm thrilled to bits and getting on Barrymore is like winning the pools to an entertainer."

Brian, aged 52, left his home in Derbyshire Street, Bolton, at the age of 21 for Guernsey, only to come back a few years later.

He stayed here for a further 10 years, working as a railway electrician, until his marriage folded.

"She didn't like the Elvis thing at all," he said.

Again, he left for Guernsey and met his present wife, Susan. They married three years ago in a Methodist Church in full Elvis regalia, while he sang Love Me Tender to his bride.

He now lives in a house he named Graceland with Susan and their three-year-old black cat, named, of course . . . "Elvis"

He runs a hire business lending out karaoke equipment, while he continues impersonating Elvis, singing in local clubs and pubs.

Brian said: "I've always been an Elvis fan and I have all the records and special collectors' discs. I started dressing up around five years ago as a laugh and it all took off from there."

He proudly boasts of the time he spent at the real Graceland in Memphis, USA where he was among the last 10 hopefuls in a look and sound-a-like Elvis competition.

He has also performed in Europe, entertaining British troops in Germany.

"I'm just looking for a break and my ambition would be to be a Freddie Starr type of impersonator on TV," Brian said. "You never know - something could come out of it."

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