Alfie is a big internet hit as superstar Bette
AYOUNGSTER’S rendition of a song from the film Hocus Pocus has been viewed more than two million times and praised by singer and actress Bette Midler.
Alfie Shields’ dad, Steven, filmed his Saturday morning performance of I Put A Spell On You as the five-year-old danced around the living room of his Reddish home in a dressing gown and red curly wig.
Within hours of it being posted online the video had gone viral, and finally made its way to Bette, who shared it with the thousands of followers of her own Facebook page with the comment: “Alfie, you nailed it! I absolutely love it!”
Mum Emma, 31, said they couldn’t believe the reaction to the video. She said: “Alfie loves to put on a show and he did just that and asked Steven to record him.
“After the video, Alfie asked Steven to put the video on Facebook as he wanted to see if Bette Midler would see it - we didn’t think she would.
“As the hours went on we started to realise he was getting a lot of views and literally within 72 hours he had one million views. It was on Wednesday when Bette Midler saw his video and she commented and shared it on her Facebook and Twitter page.”
Emma, who has recently set up her own studio for her Cutiepies And Lullaby’s photography business in Stockport town centre, said Alfie, who turns six in January and attends St Thomas’s Primary in Heaton Chapel, doesn’t attend acting classes but has always loved performing.
She said: “Alfie has always been very musical and theatrical even singing before he could even talk properly.”
The mum-of-one introduced him to Hocus Pocus - her favourite childhood film - about four months ago and he’s loved it ever since.
Emma added: “The scene is probably one of the most popular parts of the movie.
“The wig he is wearing is actually the wig that Merida wears in the Disney movie Brave, but he asked me to put it in two buns on the top of his head like Bette Midler’s character Winifred.
“We have been totally amazed by the response and completely overwhelmed with all of the amazing comments and private messages we have received, not to mention the hundreds of friend requests from people all over the world. Alfie asked me if he was famous.
“We just can’t believe that what was a simple video has now turned out viral with over 2.6 million views, over 34,000 shares and 11,000 comments on his video.”
Emma and Steven, 32, have now set up a Facebook page for Alfie to share his videos, old and new.
It can found at www. facebook.com/ alfieshieldspage.