Former Mobile Phone Salesman Turned Opera Star - Selling Phones Again

A former mobile phone shop assistant who went on to win a television talent contest has found his winning entry being used by T-Mobile parent company Deutsche Telekom to advertise its services in Germany. The former Carphone Warehouse employee, Paul Potts won the UK TV show, Britain's Got Talent with a rendition of Nessun Dorma - and it is that moment which has been used by Deutsche Telekom.

Potts was on a six-month sabbatical as manager at Carphone Warehouse in Bridgend, a mobile phone store some eight miles from his hometown when he won the TV contest. On 5 March, 2008, he resigned from his management position via email.

Deutsche Telekom is using the clip to promote its "Life is for sharing" advertising campaign. Fremantle Media, which produces the TV show arranged the deal for Deutsche Telekom to use the television footage.

During the programme there was some controversy as to the "undiscovered" nature of Potts' talent. He was portrayed on the show as simply a mobile-phone salesman, whereas he had in fact appeared in six amateur opera productions and in a concert for the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and had plans for a summer tour with that Orchestra.

The advert has been uploaded to Deutsche Telekom's website.

Posted to the site on 20th July 2008