Tappy has moves on Britain's Got Talent

Jon Dempsey and Tappy the Robot have just finished filming for the quarter finals of Simon Cowell's national TV talent hunt which is due to air on Saturday. The 41-year-old professional dancer, from Pinfold Way, Cheslyn Hay, had a nerve-wracking audition in front of a packed-out audience in the Alexandra Theatre in Birmingham in January.

Mr Dempsey, who has performed with the likes of Ken Dodd and has put on illuminated family shows at West Midlands Safari Park, in Bewdley, for the last four years, was the last act of the day.

He works with the Stageworkz theatre group based in Bradmore, Wolverhampton and runs workshops in Cannock.

He said: "I had a lot of people tell me to enter and in the end my partner put the application in for me.

"It was the hardest and scariest audition I've ever done. The theatre was packed out with people shouting 'off, off, off!' to the acts that went on before.

"Being taken to the stage was like being led to the slaughter in a gladiator arena, but meeting Ant and Dec at the side of the stage put me at ease. Before I knew it my act was over and the audience were cheering - they loved it. Simon Cowell said he liked robots and wanted to see more and Amanda Holden said the same. The experience was well worth it."

As a street performer who has travelled all around the UK in the past, Mr Dempsey hopes people from the different cities will remember his act.

While waiting for the programme to air Mr Dempsey and Gemma Shield are organising a search for Cannock's very own talent for children to take part in their forthcoming show, Grease - The School Version.

The first auditions take place tomorrow at Avon Business and Leisure Centre, Avon Road, Cannock. Other workshops are taking place on Thursday, April 14 and 16. Call 07706890123 for a place.