A singing plumber from Quorn is set to have his story made into a Hollywood film, after being discovered by a local music mogul, whilst putting his golden pipes to work.
Kev Crane, 50, was signed up to New Reality Records in Loughborough after the label’s owner noticed his “good voice” as he sang along to the radio at his home last August.
Kev’s album ‘Why Can’t I Be You’ is out now, and a film based on his story is currently in development in Los Angeles, after he sold the rights to his story to Stacy Sherman and Billy Ray, who wrote The Hunger Games.
A script has been written by British sitcom and film writers Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais, who were responsible for classic comedies including The Likely Lads, Auf Wiedersehen and Pet.
Writing on his Facebook page, Mr Crane said that he had known about the deal since September, but has had to keep quiet until now.
“That’s been the hardest part,” he said.
“It’s been a strange journey and it doesn’t feel real. Talking to the writers for the first time was probably the strangest thing. We all grew up watching auf Wiedersehen, Pet, and Porridge”.
When a friend joked that Brad Pitt should play him, he said that popular Shaun of the Dead actor, Simon Pegg, would probably be more appropriate.
Paul Conneally, 62, owner of New Reality Records, explained how Kev’s extraordinary story came about. Mr Crane was fitting his bathrooms, when he clocked the talented plumber singing along to the radio at the top of his voice.
“The neighbours started to ask who it was that was singing and saying how good he was. I listened again more closely and thought wow he’s got a great voice!” he told the Leicester Times.
“He told me he’d recorded an album of original songs in his cellar when he was furloughed and I asked him to send it to me.. the rest is history in the making!
“I couldn’t believe the reaction to his music and our story. We even had a full page spread in The Washington Post!”
“Things got even madder when a Hollywood producer contacted us”, he added.
“We had to keep quiet about everything until now and it still feels unreal.
“The thing about Kev is that he has no airs and graces. He is a working man, a plumber but a plumber with a huge amount of creative talent.”
Kev’s new single ‘You Don’t Have To Live Like This’ comes out tomorrow (Friday, April 1), and is available to listen to at: https://kevcrane.bandcamp.com/album/why-can-t-i-be-you
By Louise Steel
