I was born in Cardiff, of Scottish parents, so I think of myself as a Scot (unless I'm performing in Cardiff - when of course....I'm Welsh!).

We moved to Blackpool when I was a baby and it was living there that gave me my first taste of showbiz appearing at the end of the North pier in 'Uncle Peter Websters' children's talent show when I was about six.

I started singing and piano lessons at that time, and when I was ten I won a scholarship to Chethams school of music in Manchester where I spent 6 years training classically. But in my school holidays, I was taking part in local talent shows back in Blackpool, and eventually got my first gig at the ripe age of 12 yrs in a working men's club!

That was it ...I was hooked. I won the first ever BBC TV talent show 'Rising Stars', had my own series called 'Contrasts' with the BBC, and my first recording contract with CBS (now Sony).

Mum and dad were the Mayor and Mayoress of Blackpool, and in that same year, Mr Lloyd Webber decided that Blackpool was the perfect place to present one of his West End shows, the first major musical to appear in the provinces. So they asked him to come and switch on the famous Illuminations, and of course, my dad being a canny Scott, got me up to sing on the night, hoping that Andrew would instantly book me, give me a leading role, and set me on the road to stardom.

Well it didn't happen quite as quickly as that as I was only a teenager, but some years later, having appeared in the chorus of the original musical 'Chess' in London, I was asked to go and sing for the part of Evita. I got it, and then over the years played Ellen in Miss Saigon, Grizabella in Cats, Mary Magdalene in Superstar, and on the 10th Anniversary tour, Tim Rice asked me to play Florence in Chess, a role I had waited for over 10 years to play, but finally made it.

That first break into the West End opened many more doors for me, and I have maintained a busy concert, and cabaret schedule over the years.

I always loved doing the live gigs though, and after years of being in shows I ventured back into the cabaret circuit, performing my own show singing and playing the piano and have done this all over the world, from Hawaii to Hong-Kong!

e-mail: info@jacquiscott.com