MUSIC is Barry Sellers' life. By day he runs a shop selling instruments and accessories, and at night he gigs in a duo called Harlequin.

But his life will take a new, if still musical, twist tomorrow, when he appears on television as guitarist/singer Eric Clapton in Granada's Stars in Their Eyes.

Mr Sellers, 47, whose shop is in Harrogate, lives in Ripon.

He is sworn to secrecy on whether he or one of the other four contestants was voted the winner.

He blames his partner, Pauline, for the whole thing.

He said: "I applied to go on the show two years ago, but got nowhere.

"Pauline twisted my arm to have another go, so I did it mainly to prove to her that they did not want me. And I ended up on the show."

He started out as one of 100,000 hopefuls seeking places on the series, and passed two auditions with his rendition of Clapton's Wonderful Tonight.

Just 54 performers are chosen and four of those are reserves.

Mr Sellers said of the man he is mimicking: "It had to be him because of the look. People keep telling me I am just like him.

"Ten years ago, when he was really in the public eye, I was getting it all the time, and then I found I could sing like him."

Clapton was watched in concert in Manchester for tips, and according to Mr Sellers the TV make-up people can do wonders.