A HOSPITAL DJ with a heart condition will be swapping his microphone for the camera when he appears on a TV quiz.

Patrick McCann, a DJ with Burnley Hospital Radio, will be fulfilling his dream when he goes to film Channel 4's Countdown next week.

The 24-year-old, who suffers from an irregular heartbeat, had two pacemakers fitted in 2004.

And when these failed Patrick was sent to St Bartholomew's Hospital, London, for ablation therapy, which uses lasers to kill the problem cells.

He was only the 27th person in the country to receive the treatment.

The operation fixed the irregular heartbeat and the former Accrington and Rossendale college student is looking forward to next week.

He said: "I have been watching Countdown since 1994 and it was my dream to go on it."

"I feel happy and excited but also a little bit nervous."

The DJ, of Barley Street, Padiham, got the qualifying score needed to get on the show at his third attempt.

He said: "I first auditioned 10 years ago and I did not make it through because I was very nervous."

He then went to do performing arts at college and this helped improve his nervousness, he added "This time I got lucky. At the audition they did a mock up of the show with word and number games and conundrums."

The second time he auditioned he made it on to the show only to be told he would need an operation to have a pacemaker put in.

"In 2004 I had to have my first pacemaker fitted."

The programme will be filmed on Wednesday and aired on June 1.