Harrogate singer whose videos went viral is set for BBC TV’s Michael McIntyre's Big Show

The seven million or more people who watch Michael McIntyre's Big Show regularly are used to surprises but Harrogate viewers are in for a big one this Saturday night.

The opening episode of the BAFTA award-winning presenter and comedian’s new series will see Bradley Walsh rudely awakened in The Midnight Gameshow, Joe Lycett handing over his phone for a Send To All like no other and Beverley Knight giving a spectacular music performance.

But the Harrogate Advertiser has been tipped off that among the cast at the show broadcast from London's prestigious Theatre Royal Drury Lane will be Harrogate’s very own Sarah Collins.

This special singer has been performing in bands in and around Harrogate for a long time but rose to prominence after fighting back from cancer.

Sarah started singing with bands aged 17, initially singing rock, then graduating to a touring band playing chart hits, and eventually to soul and funk bands where her heart lay.

She worked successfully for several years and had brushes with the big time.

Then, in 2012 her career as a professional singer was brought to an abrupt halt when she was diagnosed with a life-threatening brain tumour.

It was touch and go whether she would recover fully from an emergency operation, and her doctors advised music therapy as a way to regain her health.

Her parents gave her their vinyl collection of Northern Soul records to listen to and she immersed herself in the music.

Missing singing, but not fit enough to perform live, she began to upload YouTube videos of her singing Northern Soul covers.

Sarah’s brilliant videos went viral, and soon clocked up well over a million views on her Youtube channel – https://www.youtube.com/user/diddy5848

After forming her own nine-piece band called Keep The Faith, Sarah went on to make appearances at festivals, clubs and scooter rallies.

Sarah was seen on stage at Harrogate Theatre in 2019 performing backing vocals for UK Foo Fighters.

Michael McIntyre's Big Show, BBC 1, Saturday, 6.50pm.