Harmony singers Four Poofs And A Piano shot to fame this autumn as in-house musicians on Jonathan Ross's television show.

Since then, their popularity has increased as they keep audiences around the country in stitches with their interpretation of songs in a style described by band member David Wickenden as "more hairdresser than barbershop."

The band's main role on Friday Night With Jonathan Ross is to sing the host and his main guests on to the stage.

Mr Wickenden, who comes from Brighton, said: "Jonathan comes on at the start of the show and does his introduction, which is a monologue, with a couple of gags, then we play him over to his desk.

"It is a 20-second slot and we always play something with some kind of reference to Jonathan. We've done things like Sex Bomb, Don't You Want Me Baby or You Really Got Me by The Kinks.

"Later in the show, we sing on the principal guest with another 20-second slot and we sing something relevant to them.

"On the first show it was Johnny Rotten. It was hilarious, with four queens trying to sing Anarchy In The UK.

"When Sir Paul McCartney was on we sang I Want To Hold Your Hand. It was quite intimidating singing a Beatles song in front of an original Beatle but great to be on a show with him because he is such a legend.

"When it was Barbara Windsor we sang Uptown Girl, when it was Elton John we did I'm Still Standing and last week it was Bruce Forsyth, so we did Life Is The Name Of The Game."

As well as singing, the band often exchange banter with Jonathan and his guests as part of the show.

Mr Wickenden said: "Elton John was great because he's such a big gay personality and he was so sweet. At the end of the show, he came up and put his arms round us and a photograph was taken.

"Babs Windsor stayed after the show and was lovely. People like her and Bruce Forsyth are such old showbiz pros. They always know what to say to the right people."

"Jonathan is really nice and I find him very funny. He always comes up before the show for a chat.

"He always calls us some stupid name. Last week, we were the Bum Town Rats and another time we were Earth Mince And Fire."

Mr Wickenden, 36, who works at the Groucho Club in Soho and studies part-time for a degree as well as performing with the band, said he had enjoyed every minute of his time on Friday Night With Jonathan Ross, despite the hectic schedule.

"The show producers call me at work on Wednesday and tell me what they want us to do. I try to finish early and then run round town looking for the sheet music or the CD of what they want.

"On Thursday, the band meets up and we arrange the four-part harmony and learn it. On Thursday night, we perform it on the show and it goes out on Friday night."

"It's a huge pressure in some respects because we only have 24 hours to get the material, arrange, learn and perform it but it's great fun and it works really well.

Mr Wickenden grew up in Patcham and used to be head boy of Dorothy Stringer High School before going to Varndean Sixth Form College.

After finishing his A-levels he went to Paris and spent 17 years working there as a professional dancer and cabaret artiste, including a year at the famous Moulin Rouge.

Four Poofs And A Piano were formed about a year ago by Mr Wickenden and some fellow members of the London Gay Men's Chorus, which he joined 1998.

He said: "Our first gig was at the Groucho Club. We played at a charity gig they do once a year to raise money for the homeless. The manager asked what we were going to call ourselves and I said, 'We're just four poofs and a piano,' and the name stuck.

"Some people say it's derogatory, but if you appropriate the language of your enemy with humour it neutralises it.

"We had a few gigs and then we got the job on the Jonathan Ross show. The production team contacted the London Gay Men's Chorus but they suggested we might be able to help.

"We sing in four-part harmony but we are more hairdresser than barbershop. We sing quite a broad range of music, including pop music and older music."

Friday Night With Jonathan Ross is on BBC1 at 10.35pm on Fridays and repeated at 1am on Sundays.

To contact Four Poofs and a Piano, call 01444 411139.