Dad's showbiz opportunity was a Beast

Damian Hammond, second left, dressed as X-Men's The Beast on The One Show with actor James McAvoy, far right

Damian Hammond, from Adeyfield, is a fan of Cosplay, which involves dressing up as fictional characters using creative costumes.

After seeing an appeal for Cosplayers to surprise the actor – who plays Professor X in the new film – Damian was chosen to go on the prime time show.

Damian, who is dad to Anton, 12, and Casper, nine, said: “We were told that James wouldn’t have time to talk afterwards or sign autographs, but he was exactly the opposite.

Damian Hammond, right, as Killer Croc and son Anton, 12, as The Puppet from video game Five Nights at Freddy's

“As soon as the cameras were off he came running over and had a photo taken with us.

“He was really down-to-earth – a really lovely guy.”

Damian, who was joined on the show by characters Mystique and Archangel, said a funny moment was travelling up on the train to the BBC studios in London.

He said: “People just read their Metros and acted normally, when I was standing there covered in blue paint and wearing a blue wig.”

The father-of-two first started Cosplaying when his oldest son Anton introduced him to it.

The pair have bonded over their hobby and now visit regular conventions together – the most recent being MCM’s London Comic Con over the bank holiday weekend.

To watch the episode of The One Show with Damian in, click here.