Local fundraiser James Clarke, the man behind hugely successful events including Worksop’s Got Talent, has been nominated for a Pride of Britain award.
At the time of going to print, James was eagerly awaiting news of whether he had won the regional finals and made it to the national awards ceremony in the category Fundraiser of the Year.
We believe James is deserving of such recognition for his commitment to charity Retina UK and it would be fantastic news ahead of this year’s Worksop’s Got Talent in November.
In September 2015, James was told that because of his rare eye condition, retinitis pigmentosa (RP), he would go blind in his lifetime if no cure could be found. He was banned from driving immediately and he was registered as partially sighted.
Since then, through seven years of the award-winning Worksop’s Got Talent and other challenges (including sky dives, half marathons and climbing Snowdon), James has raised over £150,000 for the charity and continues to fundraise to hopefully save his and thousands of others’ sight loss.
Worksop’s Got Talent has also won nine awards, selling out seven times (with 700 guests each year) and previously earning James invitations to Buckingham Palace, Downing Street and the House of Commons, and it continues to a shine a light on the town’s talented people too.
‘Love Island’ 2024 hunk, Blade Siddiqi, has been announced as the third celebrity judge for Worksop’s Got Talent 2024, following his appearance on the hit ITV2 reality show this summer.
Multi award-winning charity talent show, Worksop’s Got Talent, is returning for an eighth year on Friday 8th November at North Notts Arena.
Tickets are on sale now for £10.00 each via www.ticketsource.co.uk/worksopsgottalent.
On joining Worksop’s Got Talent, Blade said: “I’m so excited to be joining Worksop’s Got Talent as one of their judges this year! It’s set to be an unforgettable night and I can’t wait to watch the finalists perform live!”
Blade will be joined on the celebrity judging panel by award-winning ‘Coronation Street’ actor Jude Riordan and chart-topping singer, actress and ‘Dancing On Ice’ winner Suzanne Shaw, plus one other famous face who is still to be announced.
This year’s 12 finalists include a solo dancer, a drummer, a pianist, a choir and lots of incredible singers. Previous contestants have gone on to perform at high-profile corporate gigs, go viral online with millions of views and even appear on several TV programmes, including The Voice UK.
Previous celebrity judges have included Grammy-winning songwriter, Eliot Kennedy, ‘Coronation Street’ star, Kym Marsh, ‘Emmerdale’ actor, Dean Andrews, S Club 7 legend, Jo O’Meara, Sheffield Wednesday footballer, Liam Palmer, various ‘Love Island’ stars and many more.
Celebrities make virtual appearances too, with Boris Johnson, Piers Morgan and James Corden amongst the biggest names to appear during the final. Who will be making an appearance this year?
To keep up to date with all of the latest news, from audition details to celebrity judge announcements, follow Worksop’s Got Talent on Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, TikTok and YouTube.