Ben Bowman has made a career out of impersonating Michael Jackson on stage. But the 28-year-old from Kent has revealed he "actually can't dance".
"The funny thing about me and the thing that makes my choreographer's job quite difficult is that I actually can't dance so their top dancers learn in one session and it takes me about five", says the former cafe manager.
"But luckily the one style of dance I have got down is Michael Jackon's."
With a decade-long career and national tour ahead of him, he can't be that bad.
The impersonator, who says he's "not one of those tribute acts who think they actually are Michael Jackson", will moonwalk onto the New Wimbledon Theatre stage on Thursday, June 4.
Featuring hits from Thriller, Beat It and Billie Jean, the show will see Bowman transform into a recognisable version of Michael Jackson with the help of 10 costume changes.
So what's a 28-year-old doing dedicating his working life to the late troubled global superstar?
"I grew up with Michael Jackson music and always thought that he was amazing and then I got to see him when I was about seven at Wembley Stadium and that was incredible and started a life-long obsession", he says.
"I was one of those kids who danced and loved him and when I was 16 I was in a science lesson and my friend asked me about his new song so I sung a bit of it and my friend said I was really good. So it started from there.
"Ten years' later it's incredible I am able to make a career out of it."
But he insists, he is just an ordinary guy off stage. "I have got lots of friends and family. I treat the week as my weekend and go out and party. I'm a normal person.
"The only thing that affects my life is I have got a 1980s mullet hair style which gets a few laughs - but I have a pretty normal life and it's incredible that I get to do this as a job."
Jackson Live in Concert; New Wimbledon Theatre, 93 the Broadway; Thursday, June 4, 7.30pm; £22.90 to £23.90; atgtickets.com.
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