From a working class Port Talbot, Wales, background,
Paul Potts (James Corden) has always had a big voice, and supported by his mother Yvonne (Dame Julie Walters), has used that voice in singing opera primarily for himself, while his father Roland (Colm Meaney) barely tolerates opera in the house. In addition to being what most would consider naturally pudgy, Paul, because of his love of opera, has always been bullied by those with whom he grew up, especially by Matthew (Trystan Gravelle) and his "gang", which has led to Paul being shy and unconfident, arguably his only real friend being Braddon (Mackenzie Crook), his manager - albeit a really bad one - at the wireless store where Paul works as a sales associate. Paul's dream is to study opera at a music academy in Venice where his idol,
Luciano Pavarotti (Stanley Townsend), is a board member, and subsequently impressing Pavarotti be placed in a major opera company. Beyond Yvonne and Braddon, Paul ends up having another booster in the form of Julz (Alexandra Roach), his first real girlfriend, although Julz's support may be tenuous depending on the state of their relationship at any given point in time. As Paul seems to make one step forward toward reaching certain milestones in those opera goals, something always happens more often than not in the vein of his lack of self-confidence getting the better of him, to take him another step or two back. Through several of those steps forward and backward over the course of several years, Paul stumbles onto something that may end up changing his life, namely a new competition reality television show called
Britain's Got Talent (2007).
—Huggo