John’ll fix-it

SHY, retiring and timid are not words you’d usually associate with John Barrowman, and that’s unlikely to change with his latest show. The flamboyant performer, best known to most for his role as Captain Jack in Doctor Who and Torchwood, is presenting the new BBC1 series Tonight’s The Night.

The show’s premise is simple – people write in and ask for their dream to be made reality, then 42-year-old Barrowman and the team make it happen. It might sound eerily similar to Eighties hit show Jim’ll Fix It, but Barrowman is unfazed.

“I don’t mind any comparisons to shows like that because I was a huge fan of it, and shows like that are the ones I grew up with – so they’re the best of British television,” he says.

“But, we’re very different in the sense that if someone wants to write in and ask how to skid a bus, that’s not going to happen.

However, you might learn how to skid a bus while singing Summer Holiday with a team of dancers behind you, so there’s a twist to it. Everything is performance based. It’s not just about someone saying it’s my dream to go to Ibiza!”

The programme is all about giving deserving people a chance to shine – for example, someone who’s dreamed of being a ballroom dancer will get lessons before performing live on the show.

All-singing, dancing and acting Barrowman is a natural choice to present such a performance-based programme.

“I wanted to do a show like this,” he says.

“I’m a guy fortunate enough to be able to live my dreams. I am doing what I thought I’d be doing when I was a kid, so to be able to turn around and give other people their dreams and make theirs come true is a huge thing for me.”

Surprisingly though, Barrowman didn’t always dream of becoming a performer.

“At the age of nine I wanted to be an airline pilot,” he says.

“That’s when I realised I was gay because it was because I really liked the outfit, and the guy who was wearing it.”

With a change of heart a career in the performing arts beckoned, and Barrowman set off to make his dream a reality with the full support of his parents.

Even though they’re now living on the opposite sides of the Atlantic he says his mum and dad are still a big influence on his life. “They’re my biggest fans. I speak to them almost every other day, sometimes every day. Last year they went on my concert tour with me, this year they’ll be doing the same thing. I see them about every three or four months, as I fly them over. They’ve come to all the West End shows I’ve been in except one and they’ve seen them between 13 and 26 times.”

Barrowman’s committed to continuing to make his parents proud and keep performing. He won’t be stepping aside to let others hog all the limelight on Tonight’s The Night.

“I’ll be challenged within the show itself by a mystery celebrity guest each week where my performance will be put to the test. For example, in one show I’m challenged to juggle fire,” he explains.

Barrowman is keeping tightlipped about the celebrity guests, but he reveals that Ronan Keating and The Saturdays will be helping make people’s dreams come true.

His own dream guest would be Canadian singer Celine Dion, but admits he’d probably “collapse with excitement” if she turned up.

“I really don’t know what song I’d do with her, but I’d just be so gob-smacked that she was there to sing with me I’d probably have to take something to calm me down.”

It’s not just the thought of doing a duet with Celine that makes Barrowman break into a sweat – despite his confident image he suffers terribly from nerves.

“I always get nervous – even when we’re recording these shows I’m a bundle of nerves before we go on because I’m a perfectionist and that’s to my own detriment. I always think about getting it right, doing it right and giving the best performance and that’s what makes me nervous.”

But it’s a small price to pay for doing what he loves – and it seems he’s not keen to give it up any time soon.

There’s a concert tour on the way, which includes Newcastle City Hall and Harrogate International Centre, festival appearances, a third series of Torchwood and a potential return to Doctor Who.

“All I can say is that Captain Jack will return to help the Doctor when he needs assistance or help with an alien or when someone’s trying to destroy the Earth. That’s my official answer. You can read what you like into that one.”

■ Tonight’s The Night, BBC1, Saturday, 6.55pm.

■ John Barrowman tours to Newcastle City Hall, May 15 and Harrogate International Centre, May 27.