Big-hearted teenager from Chesterfield set to appear on new ITV show The Big Audition

Daniel McGovern with some Derbyshire Times cuttings about the hair donation that inspired his appearance on TV. Pictures by Jason Chadwick.

Two years ago, Daniel McGovern was featured in the Derbyshire Times after he grew his hair for two years and had it cut off for charity.

Now, as part of a new ITV show called The Big Audition, Daniel had to do a ‘show and tell’ about something that meant a lot to him – so he talked about when he donated his locks to the Little Princess Trust, which provides wigs for young cancer victims who suffer hair loss due to their gruelling treatment.

The St Mary’s High School pupil entered a BAFTA young presenter competition earlier this year and was lucky enough to be shortlisted to the final 10. The final stage was recorded as part of The Big Audition.

Daniel’s mum Elaine, of Newbold, said: “When we heard about the BAFTA young presenter competition we thought it would be right up Daniel’s street – he loves making videos to put on YouTube – and to enter he had to send a film of himself pretending to be a TV presenter.

“We were amazed when we found out that he’d got through to the final 10 – and were even more surprised when we realised that the final audition would be filmed for television as we hadn’t read the small print!

“Daniel was very nervous on audition day, especially as the whole day was recorded from start to finish, but we’re really looking forward to seeing how he did inside the audition room. We’ve had to wait a long time for it to finally come on to the TV.”

Daniel, 13, added: “I can’t believe I got through to the final and that I’m going to be on TV.

“At the audition I was more nervous than I have ever have before, but I really enjoyed doing a ‘show and tell’ where I got to tell the judges about when I grew my hair for the Little Princess Trust.

“The other children were really nice though and after our auditions were over we got to hang out together and have fun.”

The episode featuring Daniel’s BAFTA audition is due to be transmitted on ITV1 at 9pm on Friday, October 26.

Daniel, Elaine, his father Tom and his brother Thomas can’t wait to watch it.