Jason Manford wins Born To Shine

Singing opera

Jason Manford has won ITV’s charity talent show Born To Shine, after learning how to sing opera.

The comic sang Maria and Brindisi alongside 14-year-old chorister George Clark, who had mentored him for the show.

The pair triumphed in the 90-minute live final, which also acted as a telethon for Save The Children.

Each celebrity taking part had been mentored by a different teenager, with actor Nick Moran learning piano, Emmerdale actors Tony Audenshaw and Lesley Dunlop jiving, Tracy-Ann Oberman folk-singing and rugby player Gareth Thomas playing the harp.

The event raised an estimated £1.3million for after the government promised to match donations made by viewers.

Here is footage from an earlier heat, featuring Manford’s opera singing:

Published: 21 Aug 2011

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