A Southampton singer will be bidding to win his big break in show business this weekend when he takes part in the second stage of a national televised talent contest.

Anthony Sahota breezed through the final round of auditions of BBC1's Let it Shine on Saturday night after wowing with a rendition of Ordinary People by John Legend.

The TV show was created by Take That frontman Gary Barlow, who is searching for five young men who will create a band to star in a theatre production.

Singing hopefuls needed 15 more stars to reach the second stage of the competition .

Former Hampshire Collegiate School student Anthony, 22, from Bassett, managed to score 16 from judges Gary, performer Dannii Minogue, Spandau Ballet and Eastenders star Martin Kemp and Amber Riley of Glee.

But his chance to shine may have never come about if it had not had been for his mum Caroline secretly nominating him to audition in the show.

Appearing on Let It Shine, Caroline said: “Before he came to university he [Anthony] got a chance at a record deal but I wouldn’t let him sign it. I wanted him to have a degree – something to fall back on.

“I nominated Anthony because now I think he deserves to have that chance.”

Gary surprised Anthony at his graduation from Kingston University with an invitation to take part in the live auditions.

Anthony’s first-round success has propelled him into the second stage of the competition, airing on BBC1 this Saturday.

There, he will join one of five ‘bands’ of eight boys, before collaborating with pop group Busted.

The judges will then whittle down each band from eight members to five, who will go through to the live final.

The Echo yesterdsay reported how another Hampshire singer wowed the judges on Let it Shine at the weekend.

Former Brockenhurst College student Ryan Butterworth, 21, had judges nodding along to his audition.

The 21-year-old performed a rendition of the U2 classic I Just Haven't Found What I'm Looking For, earning 16 stars.

Ryan, a former Brockenhurst College student, played at the Talking Heads in Southampton last month with guitarist Joe Smith.

Both Anthony and Ryan are hoping to make it through to the final of Let it Shine on February 25.