Carol Decker to star in Benidorm

But Shrewsbury rock star Carol Decker could not have imagined the enduring appeal of her monster hit.

Having recently hit the road to celebrate the song’s 30th anniversary, she’s back in the spotlight – after being signed up for a cameo on ITV’s hit sitcom Benidorm.

Decker was flown out to feature on the TV show with her Shropshire actor friend John Challis, who plays Monty on the TV show.

Mr Challis, also known as Boycie in Only Fools and Horses and The Green Green Grass, was asked to sing a karaoke version of China In Your Hand while Decker watched on from the audience.

Today both stars said they were looking forward to seeing the show on TV screens next spring.

Ms Decker said: “It was great fun. I got to know John a year or two ago, when my autobiography came out. A mutual friend gave John a copy, which he read and thoroughly enjoyed.

“Our friendship blossomed from there and then earlier this year, in spring, when he was filming Benidorm, I got wind of an episode in which he’d been asked to sing a karaoke version of China In Your Hand.

“So I dropped John a line to wish him all the best and the next thing I knew I was being flown out to Spain to star in the episode. They wanted me to film a cameo, where I happened to be in Benidorm in the bar when John’s character was singing. It was great fun.”

Mr Challis added that he had thoroughly enjoyed working with Carol Decker and was looking forward to seeing the show on TV.

He said: “I don’t want to give the game away but Carol’s a wonderful woman and absolutely great fun. We had a brilliant couple of days out in Spain. She needn’t worry, I’m no competition when it comes to singing.

“It was all great fun and it should make for a brilliant episode of Benidorm in Spring.”