A SINGER who hopes to be the next Michael Buble has been showing Essex he’s got talent.

George Redwood, 13, is hoping to prove he’s got the dedication and the talent to make it to the top of the charts by entering every singing contest he can find.

Despite only taking up singing properly in February, the youngster has already met with some success, coming second in Thurrock’s Got Talent in May, a competition based on the TV programme Britain’s Got Talent, and he is now through to the semi-finals of Essex’s Got Talent.

This means he will now battle it out against 20 other semi-finalists from the Southend area at the regional semi-finals, being held on September 2, at the Sutton Arms, in Southend.

He’s also won a place in the regional finals of national contest, Open Mic UK, which was held in Basildon. If he makes it through to the grand final, this means George will be performing for thousands of people at London’s O2 Arena.

The youngster, of Oakfield Road, Benfleet, and who goes to Appleton School, in Croft Road, said: “Singing is my passion. I just love doing it.

“My dream is to be a professional singer and I think all these competitions are a really good way of practising.”

Proud mum, Cherie Redwood, 48, said: “He’s only 13, but he’s doing so well. I’m really proud of him.

“He only started singing seriously in February, so getting through to the finals of these competitions is just brilliant.”

George said he models his singing style on crooner Michael Buble, but is also a fan of Laindon’s Josh Dubovie, who recently represented the UK in the Eurovision Song Contest.