Father Ray Kelly, the Irish priest who wowed the judges and audience on Britain's Got Talent with his soulful rendition of REM's 'Everybody Hurts', has said he's prepared to take time away from his parish duties to follow up his singing success.

The priest, who is 65, told the Irish Sun: 'Most priests I know have taken a year off to study or do courses. I've never done that.

'I'm hoping I would be given a year off to sing. I'll be 29 years a priest this summer. I would love to try and pursue the music.'

Kelly shot to fame in 2014 when he sang a version of Leonard Cohen's 'Hallelujah' at a couple's wedding. The YouTube video racked up more than 60 million hits.

His Britain's Got Talent performance was praised by famously hard-to-please Simon Cowell as 'one of my favourite ever auditions'. He was given a standing ovation by his congregation in Oldcastle, County Meath after the programme aired.

Kelly has been revealed as third favourite to win the long-running show, with odds of 12/1. Magician Marc Spelmann, who performed a trick involving his daughter and the story of his wife's cancer treatment, is the current front runner, while dance group Rise, with a routine about the Manchester terror attack, is second.