AS far as he’s concerned, former Poole frozen food delivery driver Anthony Adams feels “king of the hill, top of the heap.”

His “little town blues” have long since melted away and, since finishing runner up in the BBC’s The One and Only, he has been earning a crust as one of the country’s most respected Frank Sinatra tribute artists.

Nice work if you can get it, as Frank himself used to say.

“There’s nothing I’d rather be doing,” says Anthony, who’s in the cast for the American Icons show at Bournemouth’s Pier Theatre, appropriately enough, on July 4.

“It’s a fantastic job travelling around the UK and Europe and some stunning locations to sing to people and hopefully bring back a memory or a special moment. It makes it all worthwhile.

“But it’s amazing how you can forget your last job really quickly, and it’s not the driving I miss so much as the customers who became friends – and I mean to visit them all again in time.”

Anthony, as Frank, will be joined on stage by tributes to Barbra Streisand, Elvis Presley, Liza Minnelli, Dean Martin and Cher. That’s some line-up!

“As a group of tributes to American artists, we often wondered why there is no Legends-type show in the UK. The format of our show is along the lines of the Vegas show at the Imperial Palace Hotel, which, of course, was the prize offered to the winner of The One and Only.

“As runner-up I missed out on that prize, and the $30,000 that Dusty took with her to Vegas.

“I suppose this is my way of winning the show and bringing Vegas to Bournemouth – and I don’t even have to get on a plane!”

Far from testing his love of Ol’ Blue Eyes’ music, Anthony’s tribute act has cemented his appreciation of Sinatra.

“It has made me more of a fan,” he says. “There are so many great songs that never became big hits for him, but are there in the collection that spans almost six decades.

“I may cover the lesser known ones and put out a CD. Watch this space!

“But I’ve always had space in my music collection for Frank, and secretly liked his music, even when it wasn’t cool to like swing, when I was about 25.

“I was in a new romantic band at that time and used to soundcheck the PA with my version of Strangers in the Night – much to the disgust of the roadies!

“So I suppose being a Frank tribute was kind of out there somewhere – but I surely didn’t think it would be my job!”

Sinatra ended his career with a pair of albums of him duetting with various major singing stars. Who would Ant-hony like to sing with?

“Well, I just did a show with a Lady GaGa tribute – it made an old man very happy!”

As for the future, he reckons there’s still a lot to be done with the Frank act. “I wouldn’t want to do anyone else – there’s not more room in the suitcase, and there’s still so much to learn.

“But I would like to perform one time in America, just to see what reaction I get – and hopefully make some new friends.

“In terms of new music, I already have some covers in mind to do in a Frank style.

“There’s no time at the moment to follow this up, but it would be great to find the new New York, New York or My Way. Every singer is looking for the song they can make their own, but they don’t write ‘em like they used to!”