A MAGICIAN says he will be getting 'no sleep at all' before he performs in front of the nation in the Britain's Got Talent final.
Jack Rhodes, from Ulverston, has had a meteoric rise from making YouTube videos in his garage. The 26-year-old has dazzled crowds, the TV audiences and the show's judges by combining comedy with his tricks and stunts.
He has described the process of becoming a star on the show as 'absolute madness.'
The former Ulverston Victoria High School student was a nuclear engineer until January.
He said: "It was something I have enjoyed doing in spare time. I thought if I don't do it now this thing becomes a bigger risk if I have kids. If I didn't give it a go I would regret it."
In the semi-finals on Tuesday, Jack performed an extreme card trick while locked in a box of dynamite.
Judge Simon Cowell said he was 'the favourite to win the entire competition' after performing in the second semi-final at the Eventim (Hammersmith) Apollo in London.
That night he received the most votes from the public, earning his spot in the final with a chance to win £250,000 and a space at this year's Royal Variety Performance.
READ MORE: Jack Rhodes dubbed ‘favourite’ to win Britain’s Got Talent
Jack said that five minute walks from his hotel are already taking half an hour due to people stopping to ask for a photo.
It is a long way from Jack's roots in Cumbria. "I was born in Kendal and lived in Ulverston all my life. Trips down to London are a rarity," he said.
"There's the whole cliché of no-one says hello in London. Especially over the semi-final it was nice knowing that a lot of Ulverston were backing me. When you're down south it's nice to know people are backing me at home."
Jack says the comedy aspect of his routine is 'as important' as the magic. He even said that one of his biggest inspirations was not a magician but Bo Burnham as he combines music with comedy.
"I don't take my stuff seriously. I'm not the sort of guy to come out in a three-piece suit," Jack said. "I think for me it's all about the comedy."
Although Jack said he gets nervous before performances, he handles the pressure once he is on stage.
He will be performing live on ITV1 and ITVX at 7.30pm on Sunday June 2.
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