Charlotte Dawson feels like her late father Les Dawson "in drag".
The 26-year-old star – who recently landed her own show, ‘Love Squad’ – was only eight months old when her comedian dad died of a heart attack aged 62, and she feels "so much closer to him" now that she is following in his TV presenting footsteps.
She said: "I am him. I am my dad in drag, literally.
"I just think I’ve been born him, I’m just a miracle child that’s Les Dawson.
"My middle name is Lesley. Charlotte Emily Lesley Dawson, so I am.
"Because my dad hosted his own shows, like ‘Blankety Blank’, I feel so much closer to him because I’m actually hosting my own show."
Charlotte is also following in the footsteps of the late ‘Blind Date’ host Cilla Black – who died in 2015 aged 72 – by presenting a dating show, and she believes the singer-turned-TV presenter would be "very proud" of her.
She said: "I think Cilla would be very proud, I’m obviously following in Cilla’s footsteps, and I’m so proud to be able to say that.
"I spoke to Cilla before she died because she was filming for my dad’s show, the hologram show that never was, and she said my dad would be so proud of me and she was as well.
"That was so nice to hear."
Charlotte often thinks about her dad, admitting when she is feeling particularly low she likes to chow down on chips next to his bronze statue in St Anne’s-on-Sea, Lancashire.
Speaking on ‘Good Morning Britain’, she added: "Whenever I’m having a down day I go to his statue, I have a chippy outside the statue and I just watch all his old clips on YouTube and on TV.
"I’ve got loads of home videos as well that my dad did before he died."
Charlotte Dawson: I’m like Les Dawson in drag
