PROFESSIONAL tribute act Tony Lewis is hoping to do his idol, Robbie Williams, proud on Saturday.

Tony, from Leigh, has made it to the finals of the BBC 's new talent show The One And Only with his impersonation of solo superstar Robbie.

Tomorrow night he will sing live as Robbie, competing against ten other tribute acts for the chance to win the top prize - a three-month contract performing in Las Vegas.

Tony, in a break from rehearsals for the show, tells me: "The reaction has been really positive from Robbie fans, so I just want to do him justice really. It's a pleasure for me to be singing his songs because I'm a massive Robbie fan too."

And despite some critics suggesting Robbie couldn't win the show - because the audiences in Vegas wouldn't be fans - Tony says that's not the case.

"At first I didn't think to apply to the show because I thought `Robbie's not going to be sent to Vegas'.

"But it's a big misconception that Americans don't like him, it's just that he's not as popular in the States as he is in the UK. So let's show Uncle Sam what's he's been missing."

A huge group of around 50 family and friends from Leigh will be heading down to London to cheer him on in the show at the weekend.

So is he gunning to win then? "I am a competitive person," he laughs.

"It comes from being a Manchester United season ticket holder, I think. I just hope I get the northern vote behind me."

Holiday

But though he's been in hours of rehearsals for the BBC show, he insists that to him it's a bit of a holiday from his full-time job of the past six years as a professional Robbie impersonator.

"I had 30 gigs in December alone, and even though it's high pressure being in London for the TV show, at least I'm not lugging my gear in and out of venues - so it's a bit of a break really."

Tony got his big break when he won a karaoke competition in Blackpool singing as Robbie - and scooped the £1,000 top prize.

And he's even managed to meet his idol in person, although there wasn't much talk of music when the two got together.

Tony says: "Robbie just wanted to speak about women and football and I like both of those things quite a lot so that was fine by me.

"It was just like talking to one of the lads, he's just a normal guy."

And that meeting came through one of Tony's showbiz mates, Bolton TV presenter Vernon Kay, who will be backing him to win the BBC show.

Tony says: "I got some advice off Vernon at the weekend. He said: 'just be yourself', and I said 'that's a bit daft when I'm supposed to be Robbie Williams'."