Exclusive: BGT winner Jon's song for Scanner Appeal

Britain's Got Talent winner Jon Courtenay is to headline a sparkling show of professional singers and local talent in a Christmas concert to raise money and awareness for Tameside Hospital's £1m CT Scanner Appeal.

The dad from Mossley (pictured) has confirmed he is writing a special song for the virtual show, which premieres on YouTube on Friday, December 18, at 8pm.

Jon, 47, was inundated with well wishes from Tameside Reporter readers and Tameside Radio listeners when we shared news of his win. 

Now, the multi-talented father of two is busy in his home recording studio, preparing for the Royal Variety Show - which will be broadcast in December - while creating something unique to share with local readers, listeners and NHS staff.

He told us: “Christmas is a special time of year, but with the coronavirus pandemic it’s going to be a lot different for most of us. 

“All the more reason that we celebrate as best we can and remember that there’s nothing more important than family and friends, no matter what. I’m hoping my song will reflect that.”

He added: “The song hasn’t got anything to do with the hospital or the CT scanner, it was just a bit of fun, an idea that I’d never had the chance to see through and this gave me the excuse to finish it. I don’t want to give it away but it’s nothing that anyone will be expecting!”

However, on a more serious note he added that he was delighted to be able to support the scanner appeal after his wife was diagnosed with a brain tumour.

“I’ve had family that have had to make use of CT scanners over the years including my wife,” he said. 

“She had a brain tumour many years ago which was a very stressful time for us all. I know how important these things are for families, so I was very happy to get involved.”

Also on the bill is last year’s BGT winner, Colin Thackery (pictured below), the 90-year-old Chelsea pensioner who became a national treasure and a firm favourite with both the judges and public alike. 

He performed in the summer’s Sing for the Scanner concert and says he’s delighted - due to popular demand - to be asked to sing again. 

“We all owe a debt of gratitude to the NHS and hospital staff who continue to work so hard to keep us all safe,” he said. “I have been told how important this scanner is to Tameside Hospital. I’m hoping our show will not only entertain, but raise funds towards the appeal.”

Joining Jon and Colin will be Dukinfield’s very own Chloe Jones, who is celebrating the release of her latest single ‘Damsel’, inspired, she says, by her recent trip to Guatemala City, as we recently reported in the Tameside Reporter and on Tameside Radio.

The accomplished singer/songwriter, who accompanies herself on acoustic guitar, says that travelling inspires her to write stories through her music, with this single being based on her trip to the central American country as a woman alone and the contrast she felt from her life at home surrounded by her friends.

Chloe (pictured below) featured on the Voice UK last year and she has also performed for two years running at the Lowry Theatre in Salford for Mike Sweeney’s Christmas Extravaganza. 

She says she considers it an honour to be asked to sing to help raise money and awareness for the CT scanner. 

“How wonderful to be able to share my music for this important cause - and join a line up of great performers,” she said.

The Christmas concert will be hosted by Tameside Radio presenters Alex B Cann and Sarah Hall - Alex presenting the station’s breakfast show, plus he is live at weekends and hosts the ‘Saturday Super Scoreboard’. 

As well as being an accomplished broadcaster with numerous radio stations, Alex (pictured below) lists his main interests as cinema, TV, newspapers and books.

Regular listeners will know Sarah hosts the daytime ‘We Are Tameside’ show.

Born in Canada, Sarah (pictured below) spent most of her childhood in Toronto and Yellowknife.

Her first recording experience was performing on the soundtrack for the film ‘Hidden Lake Kids’ and on TV for Jim Henson Productions. 

Sarah moved to England as a teenager and graduated from The University of Manchester, then moved to London and travelled the world with British Airways as a long haul cabin crew member.

She began a career working in broadcasting as a voiceover artist and in community and commercial radio as a presenter on ALL FM, Revolution 96.2, as well as researching, producing and presenting programmes and content for BBC Radio London, London2012, and Skylab Radio before joining Tameside Radio.

Karen James, Tameside and Glossop NHS Foundation Trust Chief Executive, says the concert will be a wonderful way to boost the appeal which has been a casualty of the restrictions on face to face fundraising.

“I believe this will be just the tonic we need after many challenging months,” she said. 

“I’m told there will be several surprises yet to be announced, although I do know our wonderful porters - who raised a few eyebrows last year with their Full Monty calendar - are planning to wow us again.”