A SUPERFAN of popstar sensation Kylie Minogue received the shock of his life when she came to Barnsley to surprise him.
Simon Grainger, 44, is the musical director for Cross The Sky, a theatre company for adults with learning disabilities and autism and is part of a Barnsley Civic project.
The project is a year-round arts programme that develops key performing arts skills in addition to writing and performing original songs and theatre work.
Kylie Minogue received a video from the group which showed them rehearsing her 2018 hit, ‘Dancing’, on Twitter as part of their vocal and music training.
The star retweeted the video to her 2.3m followers along with a message telling them to keep up their great work.
Simon, who has been a fan of Kylie since 1987, received a visit from her as part of a one-off Channel Four show, Kylie’s Secret Night, which celebrates the Aussie’s career and her fans, hosted by comic Alan Carr.
Simon said: “I went into shock when she walked in - I thought it was a lookalike. We were singing one of her songs when she arrived and as soon as the group realised who she was there were a lot of screams and laughter.
“It was a lovely afternoon and she is a wonderful woman. They say you should never meet your idols in case you’re disappointed but I still can’t believe I’ve met her, it’s surreal.
“As a group we’re all still on cloud nine after Kylie’s visit. It meant so much to us all and it was such a special afternoon.
“Having the opportunity to sing some of the group’s favourite Kylie songs with the lady herself was truly a dream come true and an afternoon we will treasure for the rest of our lives.
“The group has been running since 2002 and I’ve been the musical director since 2004 and we have such a fantastic group of talented people.
“The members are experienced and have a lot to show so for Kylie to see that live has been incredible and a real boost for the group.
“The support of a global music icon has given Cross The Sky a huge boost. It’s an enormous validation of how anyone with a learning disability can achieve confidence, self-esteem and expression through creativity and the arts. We hope Kylie’s visit inspires audiences to come along and experience our new show in February, which promises to be powerful and uplifting.”
The group are currently rehearsing for ‘Up in the Attic’, a play inspired by personal experiences of autism. It tells the story of a man who goes on a journey of self-discovery and acceptance as he learns to let go of his childhood and to embrace his independent adult life.
Kylie’s Secret Night is on Channel Four on Christmas Day at 10.30pm.
