So tonight's the night that Jack Carroll either makes it big on Britain's Got Talent or heads back to obscurity. Nothing of the sort of course. The 14-year-old sit-down-sometimes stand-up has become something of a national hero since his first appearance on Simon Cowell's variety trade fair. Even David Walliams rather over-excitedly dubbing the lad from Hipperholme near Huddersfield the next Peter Kay should not hold Carroll back from a successful career in comedy.

I've enjoyed Carroll on the show but I've also recently seen him appear on programmes such as BBC Breakfast Time and he is never less than witty, whether he is sticking to the script (which he writes himself) or answering inane don't-scare-the-horses questions. He really is remarkably smart and mature for his age, running rings around interviewers. Jason Manford, who really knows what makes comedians tick, has been in touch with me to say that he has met Jack at gigs and spoken to him and has been suitably impressed. Carroll has also appeared with Vic Reeves on the CBBC show Ministry of Curious Stuff (pictured) and that experience has probably helped him mature quickly too.

As for having cerebral palsy, that almost seems incidental. I don't know if things are tougher if he does longer sets, but during those smash-and-grab BGT appearances you would barely notice his CP if he did not get some sly, even political gags out if it. I came in for some criticism on Twitter recently for saying that I think Francesca Martinez gets an easier ride than other comedians. If Carroll does get an easy ride it is because he is fourteen rather than because he has CP. This seems to be the year that BGT morphed into Junior Showtime (ask your dad) for the 21st Century and maybe the panel has to be a bit more sensitive when young people are in the spotlight. But Carroll is clearly made of strong stuff. He has played comedy clubs in the north and in London and if he can handle a boisterous, alcohol-fuelled live comedy crowd I think he can handle Simon Cowell.

So I hope Jack Carroll wins the £250,000 first prize tonight. I'd love to hear what he plans to spend it on. 250,000 shopping trolley tokens? But he is not a novelty act, not a precocious kid, he is a marvellous mainstream stand-up with a subversive streak. But if he doesn't win BGT I think he has still got it made. And he has definitely already won a lot of fans in the comedy industry.