A BARNSLEY man isn’t struggling for words any more after taking part in an intensive speech therapy course as part of a new TV show.

Lorry driver Tony Robinson has suffered from a chronic stutter since he was six years old.

He wouldn’t use the telephone it was so severe.

But thanks to the McGuire Programme, the same intensive London course which helped popstar Gareth Gates conquer his speech impediment, Tony can now order drinks at the bar and speak to people over the phone.

Tony still stutters sometimes, but he has learned how to control it much better and has lots more confidence.

He was chosen by ITV to go on the all-expenses-paid, four day course in the capital, as part of new show School for Stammerers.

“It was a four day course and we crammed 56 hours of intensive speech therapy in,” said Tony, 54, from California Crescent, Worsbrough Common.

“I was given the task of walking around London and introducing myself to 100 people in two hours. And then I had to stand up in Trafalgar Square on a soap box and do a speech. It was scary, but I did it and my confidence is sky high now.

“I’ve tried speech therapy, acupuncture, spiritualism, hypnosis and then four days on this course, the change really was unbelievable.

“And the coaches ring me every day just to talk and make sure I’m keeping it up. Everyone of these coaches have all had a severe stammer of their own and when you hear them speaking, you think ‘wow’.

“There isn’t a cure for it, but there are ways of controlling it through breathing techniques. I’m only supposed to say four wods per sentence but so many people are in a rush these days it is hard to talk slow.

“I couldn’t say my name without stuttering and now I actually can. My wife Paula was absolutely gobsmacked.”

School of Stammerers airs Tuesday January 9 at 9pm on ITV.