Let It Shine contestant profiles: Who is Dan Budd?

Let It Shine contestant profiles: Dan Budd

Age: 27

Twitter: @DannyDBudd

From: Stoke-on-Trent

Sings: No Regrets by Robbie Williams

Job: Being Robbie Williams

Yep, that’s right. Gary Barlow didn’t quite know what to think when Robbie tribute act Dan Budd walked out onto the stage.

“Good grief, you look like a friend of mine,” said Barlow. “I’m scared to ask what you do for a living.”

After complimenting his footwear (“he’ll be made up that you’re wearing those shoes”), Gary was taken aback by Dan’s performance of No Regrets commenting: “He sounds like him as well”.

Just like his idol, Dan is also from Robbie’s hometown of Stoke-on-Trent, and his career as a tribute artist really took off when Robbie actually tweeted a picture of himself next to a poster of one of Dan’s upcoming gigs three years ago.

In an interview with his local newspaper Dan also revealed that when he was doing a sound check for a gig at a local hotel in Birches Head, Robbie’s dad Pete Conway overheard.

“It was incredible," said Dan in the interview. "He was in having his breakfast while I was doing a sound check for a gig at the hotel. He came over and sang 'That's Life' with me.

"He told me I was brilliant which just blew me away. It has definitely spurred me on to do more, work harder and go further. We ended up chatting for hours and he told me so many stories about Robbie."

Meanwhile, Pete said that former cruise ship entertainer Dan was “up there with the best of them” when it comes to the calibre of tribute artists out there of his son.

You can make up your own mind by listening to a bit more of Dan in action below:

Let it Shine continues next Saturday January 28 on BBC One.