Bernie Clifton has auditioned for 'The Voice.'

Bernie Clifton

Bernie Clifton

The 79-year-old comedian - famous for riding a daft yellow ostrich called Oswald decades ago - is keen to carve out a successful singing career and has turned to the BBC One talent show to help him get his first foot in the door.

And the funnyman - who has already made it through six auditions - isn't the only one trying his luck as Tom Milner, 24 - who played Paul Langley in 'Waterloo Road' - is also on a mission to make it as a singer and impress judges will.i.am, Ricky Wilson, Paloma Faith and Boy George.

A source told the Daily Mirror newspaper: "The judges had no idea of the background to the pair but they are obviously known to millions of TV viewers.

"It was really brave of them to put themselves through all the auditions and make it through to the spinning chairs round.

"It shows they have something about them to get so far and the outcome will be gripping as viewers wait to see if they make it to the next round."

'The Voice' is set to return to television screens across the nation in January for its last series on BBC One after ITV - which airs rival show 'The X Factor' - poached it for 2017 in a deal worth an estimated £33 million.

And it's not just the broadcast channel set to change as Ricky, 37, announced the switch had encouraged him to pull the plug on his three-year-stint as a mentor.

He revealed: "This is my last one anyway. Yeah. I was going to bow out gracefully. I don't think ITV would want me. They would want to have a totally new show."

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