A BASINGSTOKE driving instructor is set to star in a popular television show – helping a veteran actor to improve his driving.

Colin Wilkinson, an AA Driving School instructor from Basingstoke, will star in the second series of Dangerous Drivers’ School for four episodes, starting tonight.

He will be helping Melvyn Hayes, famous for his roles in TV programmes Ain’t Half Hot, Mum and the movie Summer Holiday, to become safer on the roads on the Channel 5 programme.

Colin, 49, who teaches across Basingstoke, said: “It was a really enjoyable process to try to help Melvyn to become a safer driver.

“I think there are probably a lot of drivers out there who will be able to identify with what he’s been struggling with.

“Although he has been driving for a long time, things have changed significantly on the roads and he has started to lose confidence in his ability and knowledge.

“His daughter was also becoming increasingly concerned about his safety.

“With something like driving that most people do very regularly, it is all too easy to bury your head in the sand about problems you are having and just try to battle on regardless. But there is help out there and people should not feel they have to struggle on alone.”

Melvyn, 77, said: “I passed my test when I was about 20, which is over 50 years ago now. When I did my test, it was completely different. You had to do special hand signals, but why don’t you have to do hand signals any more? The only saving grace is that I’m too old now to die young.”

To launch the programme, the AA Chari-table Trust has made 2,000 free courses available for qualified, rusty drivers who want to get their confidence back.

For more details, visit theaa.com.