He may spend his time hiding behind an oversized mask of a celebrity – but Richard Edmonds can't escape the spotlight.

The former Groby Community College student has been unveiled as one half of the hit Britain's Got Talent group Faces of Disco.

The 24-year-old, who grew up in Groby, formed the comedy dance group while at Loughborough University, with friend Liam Collins, 30, from Newcastle.

On Saturday, they wowed the judging panel of the ITV1 talent show. They were chosen as one of 150 acts to make it through to the next round of the competition.

They are hoping to impress the judges again this Saturday and make it through to the final 40.

The show's semi-finals begin on Sunday, when the public gets to choose who goes through to the final.

Richard, who also went to Brookvale High School, in Groby, told the Mercury: "The audition was really nerve-racking. You can't see anything with those masks on. You can't tell if people are enjoying it.

"It was only when we took them off we saw we were getting a standing ovation. Everyone was going nuts.

"I have always been into performing. I got a lot of encouragement at school. That had an impact on me."

The pair started out busking on streets across the country to pay for athletics training and sponsorship while students at Loughborough University in 2004.

Their dance routine evolved over time, with more comedy being introduced. The over-sized masks were inspired by an act Liam did for his family as a child.

Their appearance on Britain's Got Talent was not the duo's first TV appearance. They reached the final of BBC's Let Me Entertain You in 2007.

But the pair have not had much time to dance together recently as they are both busy with their jobs in London.

Richard is a fitness trainer and Liam works in property.

Richard said: "We haven't done this for two years. It was always just a way of paying for the athletics. But I saw Britain's Got Talent and thought we should do this.

"Now we're just keeping our fingers crossed to get through the next rounds."

The pair got four "yes" votes on the show on Saturday, from Simon Cowell, Piers Morgan, Kelly Brook and Amanda Holden.

The usually hard-to-please Cowell told them: "At first I thought it was just going to be you impersonating the Village People. But I liked it. It was fun. I was impressed."

Footage on video website Youtube of the pair's performance has had more than 400,000 hits since Saturday.

Richard's mum, Martine, watched the show at her Groby home, and sister Claire, 23, of Anstey, watched it with friends.

Claire said: "I was just so proud to see him up there. I know he's my older brother but his little face as he was waiting for Simon Cowell's opinion was a picture.

"It was pre-recorded so we knew what was going to happen but to see him on TV was mind blowing. We were screaming at the telly and now we are keeping our fingers crossed."

To see if they make it into the semi-finals watch Britain's Got Talent on Saturday, at 8.20pm.