Biography

If anyone had told Paul Potts this time last year that he''d one day be stopped in the street by adoring fans, begging him to sing for them, he''d have laughed. If they''d told him that millions of people around the world - as far afield as New Zealand, Australia and China - would be posting messages on the Internet, describing how moved they had been by his performances and asking how they could get hold of his debut album, he''d have thought they''d gone barking mad. But those seemingly ridiculous pipe dreams are now a reality for this quietly unassuming 36-year-old who, thanks to his victory in the finale of ITV1''s hot new talent show Britain''s Got Talent a few weeks back, has become the most famous former mobile phone salesman in the country!

The man who once admitted he''d spent most of his life feeling insignificant and anonymous has become one of the most popular ''hits'' on You Tube, with millions upon millions of fans across the globe logging on to lose themselves in the magic of his rich and powerful voice. And with the finishing touches currently being put to his debut album - the fastest ever album release in history - the hysteria surrounding Paul is only going to get more fevered.

"It''s slowly starting to sink in now and, although I''m exhausted, I''m loving it!" smiles Paul. "The first few days were a blur. I was on a completely different planet with the shock of it all. But this is something I''ve dreamed of all my life, singing professionally, and to have been given the opportunity to make that dream real and to know that people are enjoying my music - it''s more than I ever dared hope for."

Born just outside Bristol on October 13, 1970, to bus driver Roland and his wife Yvonne, a supermarket cashier, Paul - who''s one of four children - was singing almost from the moment he could talk. "My mother recalls me listening to the theme from ET and conducting an imaginary orchestra with sticks," laughs Paul. By the time he reached 11, he was part of one of the best church choirs in Bristol. But it was when he hit 16 that his love of opera took hold. "I bought a cheap recording of Carreras," he recalls. "It was the first time I had heard Che Gelida Manina (Your Tiny Hand Is Frozen) and I was so moved by it. To this day La Boheme remains my favourite opera."

Although Paul has performed at amateur level, most notably with Bath Opera, a chronic fear of rejection always prevented him from trying to make it professionally. " As I saw it, if I never asked - never put myself out there - then I''d never get told "No",'' says Paul. "It was safer that way."

So instead, he carried on with his day jobs - which have included stacking shelves in a supermarket and, most recently and famously, selling mobile phones, where he was told by one of his superiors that he was a ''natural salesman''. "But I knew I wasn''t," says Paul. "When I was selling, I always felt like I was putting on an act. When I sang, that''s when I felt I was myself - the real me."

In 2000, Paul used savings and a bit of money he''d won on a quiz show to attend a three-month summer school in Italy, where he learned the language and got to indulge his passion further. He even got to sing in a masterclass for his idol, Pavarotti. But he was about to be dealt a cruel blow. A series of health problems forced him to take several years off. " I got really low and for once, singing was the last thing on my mind."

And he might have given up forever, had it not been for Britain''s Got Talent - the talent show for today''s generation, created by Simon Cowell''s company Syco TV. Though it''s fair to say that when Paul strolled onto the Cardiff stage for his first audition, in his now infamous £35 Tesco suit, and announced to Simon and fellow judges Amanda Holden and Piers Morgan that he was going to sing opera, they never for one moment thought they were looking at their winner. Until he opened his mouth and started to sing. It was, as Simon has said since, simply magical. "Incredible", agreed Piers. And Amanda, who was moved to tears, said his voice had left her covered in goosebumps. "We were not expecting that," admitted Simon.

"I was so nervous I was shaking like a jelly, but when I watch that audition back, I can see in my eyes that when I start to sing I go to a totally different place and the nerves just vanish," says Paul. "When I stopped singing, there were a few seconds when my heart was racing because I had absolutely no idea what the judges were going to say."

Since then, accolades have flooded in via the Internet from fans worldwide who''ve seen Paul''s performances on sites like You Tube. "Utterly mesmerising - this guy is just incredible," posts one fan. "Paul, keep sharing your magnificent voice with the world - can''t wait for your debut album," writes another.

In fact, the wait is almost over. Within days of winning the finale of Britain''s Got Talent, Paul was in a recording studio laying down the tracks for an album that is expected to storm the charts across the globe. Featuring a diverse range of tracks, there is, of course, Paul''s hauntingly beautiful Nessun Dorma, which won him the competition, and the equally captivating Time To Say Goodbye (Con Te Partiro), which he sang in the semi finals of the show. Other highlights include a Spanish version of My Way and a truly extraordinary Italian rendition of REM''s Everybody Hurts (Oguno Soffre).

"I still don''t know how it will feel to see my album out there on the shelves - but it''s got to feel good!" beams Paul, who lives in Port Talbot with wife Julie-Ann, 27 - although he''s barely been home since his win.

His feet have hardly touched the ground what with his whistle-stop live performances in America, where he''s already a star, and endless rounds of interviews. And, of course, there''s the VIP performance for which he was competing in Britain''s Got Talent - appearing in front of Her Majesty the Queen at the Royal Variety Performance in early December.

"Finally, I am going to be doing what I''ve always felt I was put here to do - something I love and that gives me so much joy,'' says Paul. "How many people are able to say that?"