The UK’s bloggers were virtually unanimous this weekend in praise for a peculiarly British success story: Not, as one might imagine, motor racing wunderkind Lewis Hamilton but shy retiring opera-singing hopeful Paul Potts, who won the ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ final against a seemingly unassailable army of musical moppets and baton-twirlers.

Of course Mr Potts' talent has a more readily exploitable nature than many of his rivals, a fact which did not go unnoticed at Did You See That? :

"It was no suprise to hear Simon Cowell announce at the end that Paul would soon be in the recording studio recording his first album. Simon must be delighted because with this kind of act, you don’t need to find new material, you can unashamedly re-record the popular operatic classics."

You can say you’ve arrived when you’re on Wikipedia , so Paul has certainly arrived. The online encyclopedia notes that:

"During their programme there was some controversy as to the 'undiscovered' nature of Potts' talent, who was portrayed on the show as simply a mobile phone salesman, whereas he has in fact appeared in four amateur opera productions and in a concert for the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.Potts responded to his critics saying that he had not claimed to be completely untutored, but had never performed any concert for pay, and was therefore amateur, and that the lessons he had received in Italy he had paid for from his own savings."

The dispute over his amateur status hasn’t swayed the blogging public one whit, however: Dozens of blogs both in the UK and the US – where his performance has been watched by thousands on YouTube – have responded with almost unanimous fervour.

The Daily Reel is typical in its unstinting approbation:

"After Paul Potts reprised his stirring rendition of "Nessum Dorma" in Sunday night's final episode of Britain's Got Talent, host Ant (or Dec -- I get them confused) announced that all of Britian had gone "Paul Potts Potty." But you stand corrected, Mr. Dec (or Ant): it's the entire world that's watching. Congratulations, Signore Potts, on your victory, which includes a record contract and live performance before the Queen. Bravissimo!"

Blogging so you think you can dance was similarly impressed, favouring us with the unique insight:

"Federico Fellini only dreamed of being that Fellini-esque."

While Remote Control expressed a generous passion for the ‘extras’ show broadcast on ITV2:

"Presented by Stephen Mulhern, a former Royal Variety performer himself, the material put on the gogglebox has been worth watching. It hasn't just been extended interviews with the losers, or 'this is how we do this' type stuff. No, they had Piers doing beatbox. Say what you like about the man, but he's not afraid to have a go at what he's slating. Can't wait for next year!"

...but evinced a more tempered enthusiasm for the singing telephone salesman himself:

"There's no denying he has talent - but does the world really need another opera singer turning out albums in time for Mother's Day?"

Mad Musings of Me went further:

The video has been watched like 1.3 million times (more than one upload) and has attracted 5,000 comments, over 90% of them being hysterically over the top, saying he is the greatest singer ever. Well, I suppose if you have never heard anything but rap in your life, anyone who can more-or-less hold a tune is so out of your experience, that, without any valid comparators at all, you are likely to wet your pants. Good Luck to the guy. He's rubbish, but there you go.

Adventures of Cal spotted the same gag everyone else did, but was there more quickly, and more laconically, than the rest of us:

"Paul Potts has won Britain's Got Talent, which is wonderful. It's been a while since an ex-Cambodian Dictator has won a reality TV show. Except for when Hun Sen's ride got pimped... "

Ian Bone added the crucial point that Britain’s latest hero was having more luck with opera than he had with politics:

"POTTS GETS MORE VOTES THAN MONKEY TO BECOME MOST TALENTED MAN IN BRITAIN -FIRST TIME BRISTOL LIB DEMS HAVE HAD A MAJORITY! Yes - that poor bulllied unconfident opera singer you’ve voted for tonight was in an earlier life the so confident Councillor Paul Potts - Lib Dem councillor for Eastville in Bristol. Elected in May 1999 PAUL ROBERT POTTS had earlier contested the seat in 1995 with another POTTS - his brother. One of Paul’s fellow East Bristol Lib Dem councillors scarpered to Holland and had to be extradited on vote rigging charges. So remember tonight - vote early, vote often, vote LIB DEM. Straight up - well done POL POT - you’ve redeemed the good name of Bristol after that disgusting tory toff EMILY dragged our city into the mire after BIG BROTHER. It says a lot about Bristol that someone should leave it to find fame and fortune in Port Talbot! What next - Ex-Lib dem councillor JOHN ASTLEY on ‘EMBARASSING ILLNESSES’ or ‘HOW TO LOOK GOOD NAKED’. This one could run and run…….all the way to Amsterdam!"

The last word, though, has to go to our friends at No Rock & Roll Fun :

"As if the programme itself didn't disprove the title - why would a country that possessed talent gather round to watch Piers Morgan instead?"

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