Gary Mullen spends most of his nights donning a false moustache and prancing around stage pretending to be one of the greatest rock legends that ever lived, and he owes it all to his mother and wife.

The pair decided to take the Scottish singer’s career into their own hands back in 2000, when he sold computers from a call centre for a living, and filled out a Stars in Their Eyes application for him and before he knew it he was getting more than 800,000 votes in the final, quitting his job and taking off on tour.

“My mum and wife kept saying I should go on it but there was no chance as far as I was concerned,” said the 35-year-old.

“But they did the application and I got a call from the TV company asking me to audition.

“I was quite sarcastic to the guy as I thought it was a wind up until the letter with the details on it came through.

“I’m so thankful to them for doing that as it has been a total career and lifestyle change for me. The amount of life experience I have had and the people I have met, I’m so grateful.”

After his success on the show Gary quit his job and toured on his own for two years before the opportunity to be lead singer in a new Queen production came his way.

One Night of Queen is now in its seventh year and has toured all over the world, though Gary admits he likes being back in the UK.

“There was a point towards the end of the touring year last year where I didn’t know what country we were in or what time it was,” he said.

“I would phone the wife and ask what she was doing for her weekend and she would reply “it’s Wednesday”.

“I get a big kick out of it though, it’s the best job in the world as I can put the costume and the moustache on and jump around on stage for two hours then take them off, walk out the back door and have my anonymity back.

“I couldn’t have that celebrity lifestyle with a camera in my face all the time.”

One Night of Queen, Fairfield Halls, Park Lane, January 30, 8pm, £18.50. Call 020 8688 9291 or visit fairfield.co.uk.