'Too shy' fan meets Jason Donovan 29 years after win Published duration 9 May 2019

image copyright Scott Harris image caption Helen Harris said her favourite song was Too Many Broken Hearts

A woman who was "too shy" to meet Jason Donovan after winning a Children's BBC competition nearly 30 years ago has finally met her idol on tour.

Helen Harris, 41, met the Australian singer as he performed in her hometown, Bromsgrove, on Wednesday.

She said she was "painfully shy" when she won the opportunity to meet him backstage in 1990, so did not go.

Her husband Scott secretly bought tickets "especially" for her after she said not going was her biggest regret.

image caption Jason Donovan called Mrs Harris on Children's BBC in 1990 to announce her win

Mrs Harris won the competition when she was 12 after successfully identifying the former soap star in an old school photo.

"I'd seen it in Smash Hits magazine the week before so I knew exactly which one he was," she told BBC Hereford and Worcester

She was called by the singer live on air to announce she had won the chance to meet him backstage, to which she said she "might" attend.

image copyright Helen Harris image caption Mrs Harris did attend the concert, but was too shy to go backstage to meet Jason Donovan

Mrs Harris said she "cringed" at her response now, but said: "If my 12-year-old self knew I was going to see him, she wouldn't believe it."

Her husband arranged for her to meet the singer after he performed at the Artrix Arts Centre in Bromsgrove as part of his Amazing Midlife Crisis tour.

She said she did not mention her missed opportunity 29 years ago, instead discussing Neighbours, but said the night was "amazing".

"It was all I wanted it to be and more," she said. "He was lovely. He was really warm and friendly."