Kev Crane: A singing plumber in talks with Hollywood film producers

A plumber who got a deal with Hollywood after being heard singing while installing a bathroom came back from meeting film directors.

Kev Crane, from Leicestershire, got his first music deal after a chance meeting with a record label owner.

The 51-year-old then sold the rights to make a film about his life after US film producers discovered his story.

Mr. Crane joked that he wanted George Clooney to play him in the film.

The customer heard the plumber, from Korn, who was installing a set of bathrooms while singing a song. The client happened to run a record label.

They started chatting and Mr Crane told him he had built a music studio during lockdown in order to finish an album he started 25 years ago.

Paul Connelly, 63, owner of New Reality Records in Loughborough, hired the plumber after noticing his “good voice” singing on the radio at his home in 2021.

The press picked up on his chance encounter across the pond in the United States. One of the people who read Mr. Crane’s story was film producer Stacey Sherman, wife of The Hunger Games and Terminator: Dark Fate writer Billy Ray.

Speaking to BBC Radio Leicester, Crane’s wife, Karen, said: “Honestly, I haven’t heard much about him signing, and it was only during lockdown that he started to ignite his passion and that’s what the film is about – second chances.”

Upon hearing about the Hollywood movie deal, she said she thought it was a “scam” until they actually met Stacey Sherman and Billy Ray in Beverly Hills.

The script is now being finalized and has been sent to a film agency where the directors will read it.

Crane said that the series was written by British comedy and film series creators Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais.

The duo was responsible for classic comedies including The Likely Lads and Auf Wiedersehen, Pet.

Speaking about the trip itself, the plumber said: “There were moments while we were there, I kept thinking to myself, is this really happening?

“We were invited to the co-CEO of Netflix’s house for a party, and we met Esai Morales from Mission Impossible…it was crazy.”

The plumber was also on Breakfast TV in Los Angeles during the trip.

Mr. Crane said he would like George Clooney to play him.

“I wouldn’t say no to that,” he said. “We’ve put forward our own ideas but we won’t have much to say (about casting)… but there are a lot of names being put together so we’ll trust them with that.”

As for the plumbing work, Mr. Crane said he will work until the end of the year before “hitting his head” as he prepares for his concert tour starting in March.