ATHERTON teenager Sonny Jake Hardman is hoping to follow Robbie Williams and Gary Barlow into pop stardom after forming part of a new boy band created by the musical mogul who masterminded Take That’s success.

The 19-year-old, of Car Bank Street, has been labelled the ‘cute’ member of new five-piece boyband Yes Lad.

So with Nigel Martin-Smith managing the band, are we looking at the next Mark Owen, whose baby faced good looks made him Take That’s poster boy in the early 90s?

Sonny said: “It would be great if I went on to be as successful as him.

“It’s funny to be labelled the ‘cute one'. I don’t really see it myself but everyone is saying it and I’m pretty happy with it.”

The talented singer and guitar player is delighted to have been given the chance to live his dream having always wanted to be a popstar.

The former Bedford High School pupil said: “I saw an advertisement in a newspaper looking for people wanting to be in a new boy band and am over the moon to have been accepted into the group.

“It’s not really sunk in yet. My family are made up and I’m really excited, but I am still in a daze with it all.

"It has been absolutely crazy but it has been really amazing and I can’t thank Nigel enough for this opportunity.

“If I can achieve my dream anyone can, so people should keep working hard and never give up on their dreams.”

The other members of the group are Cian Gleeson, 19, and Luke Robin Gregory, 21, from Bolton, Joel Healy, 18, from Salford, and Lewis Maxwell, 16, from Liverpool.

Cian, Luke and Joel have been dubbed ‘the leader’, the ‘sensible one’ and the ‘ladies’ man’ respectively, but Lewis has not been given a label yet having only joined the group this week.

Sonny added: “I’m really enjoying this crazy journey with the lads. It’s mad because most of us knew of each other beforehand from college and living locally, so it’s a small world.”

The aim is for the group to be launched on the pop world in October.

Cian, from Horwich, said: “Lots of boybands are made up from the four corners of the country but we are all from the area and represent the working class.

“We are all northern lads and there is a real gap in the market for a band like us.

“We are starting to slowly find our feet as a band.

“We are going to primarily be singing but we can also all play guitar and Luke can play piano, so we might incorporate that into some of our songs.”

The boys are looking to bring back the classic boyband dance routines but with a more modern twist.

Cian added: “I am actually quite looking forward to doing some dancing.

“JLS were probably the last properly choreographed boyband and we want to bring that back.

“We just want to be as big as we can and it is a massive opportunity and honour to be managed by Nigel.

“We want platinum selling albums and to be selling out arenas.”

To find out more about the band visit twitter.com/newukboyband.