Chester: BGT star to play alongside choir at Storyhouse

Jean Martyn, who won of the hearts of 14 million viewers with her keyboard skills as a finalist on Britain's Got Talent in 2011, will take to the stage at Storyhouse as a guest of the all female, feather boa wearing, handbag swinging, A Handbag of Harmonies choir and their musical director, Matt Baker.

Prior to achieving national fame on the hit ITV show, Jean performed throughout the UK and across Europe, including alongside the legendary James Last and his Orchestra but reached a global audience during Lockdown when she performed a series of daily informal livestreams on social media, taking requests from around the world and gaining a whole new fan base whilst keeping up the morale of thousands of viewers during the dark days of the Covid pandemic. To date, her YouTube clips have reached 550,00 views worldwide.

A Handbag of Harmonies choir with Matt Baker. (Image: Paul Crofts)

Following her appearances on Britain's Got Talent, Jean has performed to vast audiences across the USA, Europe and the UK in venues including Wembley Arena and the O2. Jean has also appeared on several TV shows and performed for members of the Royal Family at St James's Palace as well as being invited to several Royal Garden Parties at Buckingham Palace in recognition of her charity work.

Jean's army of fans includes non other than David 'the Hoff' Hasslehoff, Michael McIntyre and Amanda Holden who praised her bubbly personality and paid her the highest compliment by likening her to Victoria Wood.

Speaking about inviting Jean to join A Handbag of Harmonies at Storyhouse, the choir's MD Matt Baker said: "I think Jean has an incredible talent. She may have risen to national fame on television, but what she did during lockdown blew me away. She went live - every single day - for free - playing every kind of song, changing keys, tempos, and sounds, all while reading messages from an international online audience - with her mobile phone on a stand, answering individual questions, winking at comments and having a swig of red wine mid flow. Wow!! She made us all feel like we were in her living room with her!

"I felt I knew her as a friend and so when she returned from Holland to the UK to open a little hotel, I simply had to go and visit her. Then I visited her in Blackpool with friends, at her hotel. Her warm personality and hospitality surpassed all that I had witnessed on TV and online.

"She even performed for us in her hotel living room - and let me jam along with her with a second keyboard sitting alongside! It was during our stay that she said she would love to come and visit Chester and perform alongside A Handbag of Harmonies. We can't wait for Jean to join us live on stage at Storyhouse."

The concert at Storyhouse comes at the end of a busy spring and summer season for A Handbag of Harmonies who have taken part in various events across Chester and the Northwest during 2023 including celebrations to mark the King's Coronation and the Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool where their performances went viral on social media.

A Handbag of Harmonies' concert featuring Jean Martyn will take place on September 9 at 7.30pm. Full details can be found at: www.storyhouse.com. Tickets can also be booked in person at Storyhouse.