A BOLTON hypnotist has hit back at critics who have branded his first ever TV show too rude.

And Peter Powers, who lives in Heaton, has said he is proud to be a Bolton lad and wants the whole town to tune in and watch his Channel 5 show.

The show -- which contains adult material and is called The Naughty Naughty Hypno Show -- is broadcast tonight.

Mr Powers, aged 34, said he had worked hard for 16 years and was delighted and excited to have made it to the small screen.

And if the one-off special is a success, Channel 5 will offer Mr Powers a series.

Speaking exclusively to the BEN he said: "Out of all the people watching the show, the one place I'd like people to be tuning in is in Bolton and to be saying 'wow, he's a home grown lad who's done well', like Peter Kay.

"I'm proud of Bolton. I grew up in Astley Bridge and went to Smithills Moor Grammar and Chalfont Street Primary."

In the show Mr Powers will be seen hypnotising volunteers in a number of saucy situations. In one scene, men are hypnotised into walking down the street dressed in female lingerie. After the BEN revealed Mr Powers would be appearing in his own TV special, some other hypnotists criticised him for lowering the tone of the profession and giving them a bad name. The North West Christian Family Values Group said it was amazing how so much filth got on television.

However, Mr Powers said that though people were entitled to their opinions he defied anyone not to laugh at his show.

He explained: "A lot of the people having a go haven't even seen the show. It is not really filthy but it is very funny.

"I have worked extremely hard for a long time to get to where I am and I think Bolton should be proud because I'm a local lad." Peter Powers decided to embark on his unusual career when he was 18 and went to see a hypnotist.

He decided to try it out on his brother and to his amazement found he could do it.

He recalled: "My brother went under so I did the same to a few of my friends. Then I read books and took courses and got advice from other hypnotherapists. I worked hard and got faster and better at it."

After playing clubs and theatres, mainly in Scotland -- though he does remember a show at Tonge Ward Labour Club -- Mr Powers began to build up a solid fan base and travelled the world.

He was in negotiations with the BBC and an Australian TV network before signing a deal with Channel 5.

He filmed his show in a studio in Glasgow and admits it was a little nerve wracking.

He added: "I was walking on stage knowing I had 45 minutes to do a good show with a budget of £65,000 resting on it."

And the thing with hypnotism is that you can't script it. You don't know who's going to volunteer to do what.

"But it all seemed to go more or less to plan and I'm happy with the result."