The late Stoke-on-Trent entertainer Kerry Wilson spoke of how being a finalist in the first-ever series of Bob Says Opportunity Knocks changed her life back in 1987. She came fourth out of nine acts that were vying to win the grand final of the hit BBC TV talent show presented by Bob Monkhouse.
The final was held at The London Palladium with 14.5 million people tuning in. Kerry, from Trentham, impersonating the likes of Su Pollard, Joan Rivers, Julie Walters and Victoria Wood as part of her act, secured more than 45,000 phone votes from the public.
Footage from the show remains online as Kerry – who starred on multiple TV shows – has tragically died at the age of 56 after being struck down with a severe case of the flu. What began as a simple case of ‘the sniffles’ soon saw Kerry rapidly deteriorate with doctors placing her in an induced coma, but sadly she never recovered and passed away on January 3.
Kerry was well-known across Stoke-on-Trent and had a successful career, popping up on The Jonathan Ross Big Talent Show, Talking Telephone Numbers, Who Do You Do? and Summertime Special, as well as playing the role of Cheryl Colclough on BBC Radio Stoke’s first-ever soap opera.
(Image: YouTube)
It was back in 1987, at the tender age of 19, that she made the final of Bob Says Opportunity Knocks. StokeonTrentLive has looked back at footage from the show in which Bob introduced Kerry to the stage by saying: “Act number one was our number one in our very first show three months ago. This little lady walked out and simply scooped the pool.
“She has tonsils full of stars this girl, she’s been a telephone sales lady in Stoke-on-Trent for a family firm that sells glass and mirrors and she produced mirror images of every star we asked her to do… will you welcome here our act number one as once again opportunity knocks for Kerry Wilson.”
After finding out her share of the vote, Kerry revealed to Bob how much the show had helped her burgeoning career.
She said: “I’ve been fortunate enough to turn professional, I’ve released a record, I start summer season at Alton Towers on Monday – a tremendous amount of work but I’m still free for a Panto!”
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