Jason Manford on being a judge on ITV's new show Starstruck

Report by ITV Granada Report's Showbiz Correspondent Caroline Whitmore

We have seen Salford's Jason Manford as a comedian, as a presenter and as a singer.

Now he's showing off his talents as a judge on ITV's brand new entertainment show 'Starstruck' and he can't wait.

Is there no end to the father of five's talents?

Jason laughs and says;  "Well, I've been a very judgmental person my whole life, to be honest. Just this the first time someone's paying me to do it." 

'It's a show that sees people dress like their idols and it's the 21st century version of 'Stars in their eyes', it's not a show where people's futures are rested on that performance. "

"When you finish it's like back to Tesco on Monday for the contestants."

Soul singer Beverley Knight is also taking her place on the expert panel.'My specialism is singing" she explains "and Adam (Lambert) is much more about the performance, you know, because he's used to doing stadiums now.

"Sheridan Smith is an award winning, brilliant actress, and Jason is our Jason is a comedian who also can sing and act.""And Olly (Murs) is a pop star in his own right and is hosting the show. We're like the famous five for the 21st century." 

She said if she had a chance of singing as anyone else, 'she would strut her stuff as Prince.'

"I'd swagger about on the stage and step into the shoes of a genius? Would I sound like him?" "No." She laughs. 

Jason Manford was also unmasked as the hedgehog in the first series of 'The Masked Singer' and is back on the show this weekend.

"Yes the hedgehog is back, I was in the first series, they invited a couple of characters back and I'm one of them, and I sing a duet with the panda and then we go straight into Starstruck, which is on for the next six weeks, which is genuinely a proper laugh"Starstruck begins tomorrow night on ITV at 8.30pm and also will be available on ITV Hub.