Yeovilton's got Talent!

A whiff of show business was in the air at the Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton when the TV Reality Show Stars ‘Stavros Flatley’ appeared as part of a fund raising event on behalf of the Royal Navy & Royal Marines Charity. But the dancing duo were not the only ones with stars in their eyes; in competition with the celebrities were a home grown pool of talented singers, comedians and musicians from Yeovilton.

Airman and Marines on the base took up the challenge, thought up by Lieutenant Becky Curtis, who works in the Logistics department of RNAS Yeovilton. “It was hard work to start with, but ask any sailor to stand up on stage and show off to his mates, well there was no stopping the talent coming out of the hangars and workshops”, she said. “I’m genuinely surprised the high quality we’ve unearthed”.

Over 160 personnel from the air station came along to see what Yeovilton’s talent search had discovered. But the X Factor style auditions were narrowed down to three successful contenders for the top places.

In third place with a string of bad mother-in-law jokes and a fine repertoire of one liners was Lieutenant Matt Price of Commando Helicopter Force. Bringing up second billing, with a very professional, “you should give up the day job” rendition of the Stevie Wonder classic, ‘Superstition’, was Lieutenant Fred Durrant, a Pilot of 845 Naval Air Squadron.

But ultimately there could be only one winner and Leading Physical Trainer Joe Thornton was clearly the voice to beat with a smooth delivery of John Legend’s ‘Ordinary People’.

To round off the evening and let the professionals take the stage ‘Stavros and son’ brought the house down and the audience to their feet with some added participation from the Base Warrant Officer, WO1 Steve Uzzell, funking his stuff across the boards.

The total raised from the event was £1000 and a sure sign that ‘Yeovilton’s Got Talent’.