Ricky - the special K who just wants to entertain you

But the “overnight sensation” like so many others had years in showbusiness behind him – including treading the boards in panto.

“I love the family aspect of it,” said Yorkshireman Ricky, who is playing Wishee Washee in Aladdin at Peterborough’s New Theatre next month (December 15-30), alongside Rufus Hound and Bobby Crush. “I think it’s the time of year when everyone can get together, families, in one place, lots of laughter, singing along.

“So get your tickets now, get yourself sat in that theatre prepared for a fantastic show – laugh, sing and enjoy a great evening of family entertainment. You can’t beat it.”

So what is it about panto that appeals so much?

“For me, it is just about going out there on stage and selling it and having a great time,” he says. “I have always said in panto, comedy is king. I want people to go away and remember it, the songs are brilliant , the music is brilliant, the set... the lighting.... Everyone has a great time and there is no better feeling than seeing everyone laughing and enjoying themselves then going away happy. That is the key to it.”

It was the same ethos that made Ricky a household name after appearing on BGT in 2014 – although at the time he wasn’t sure he was doing the right thing.

He had been performing for more than 20 years when someone suggested he enter the show.

“I found it a bit of a strange programme for us entertainers that do everything and I am an all-round entertainer,” said Ricky, a trained dancer, who is a sought-after family entertainer rather than just a comedian.

“I thought: ‘what am I going to do?’ I had been doing the Fairytale of Love routine for about five years prior to going on the show so I thought I would give it a go and it went down well,” he said modestly (check it out on YouTube)

Ricky wowed the judges and reached the semi-finals that year which gave his career a real boost.

“It brought my name to a wider audience, so much so I got invited to do a show for the Prince of Monaco,” Ricky recalls.

“Me and a select few people got flown out to Portugal where he was putting on a show and I got asked to perform. There were performers from America, South America, Africa, Australia and little old me from Yorkshire.

“The routine is visual, there is no language barrier, you have an international audience straight away.

“Without BGT that could not have happened.”

Now though he is turning his attention to playing the fool in panto here in Peterborough.

“This year a lot of people will be so up for panto after last year,” said Ricky. “They will be saying: ‘we are ready to be entertained’, the energy levels are going to be high. I can’t wait.”