Since winning last year’s Britain’s Got Talent, Adam Buckingham’s life has been transformed. But fame aside, the 22-year-old is just delighted Spelbound’s win means he can take up his hobby full-time, with his sights now set on the Olympics.

* Adam Buckingham is the strong man in the Spelbound line-up, the one who holds all the others up, the one with the huge muscles and a neck like a boa constrictor.

But then considering he’s been doing acrobatic gymnastics since he was five, and has a world championship tucked under his belt, it’s reassuring to know he’s in charge.

Despite the medals and accolades of competing on an international level, it wasn’t until Adam stepped on to the Britain’s Got Talent stage as part of the Spelbound team, that his life really turned around, and you can bet that winning the ITV show really was a golden ticket.

“There was nothing specific I wanted to do with my life after gymnastics. I was working in a leisure centre...” he tails off.

Spelbound consists of 13 gymnasts and a coach who all hail from Heathrow Gymnastics Club and are aged 13 to 27.

They had considered entering the talent competition before, but the dates always clashed with international championships. “And then last year it all came together,” Adam remembers.

But then it was Adam’s determination for acrobatic gymnastics to be recognised as an Olympic sport, which spurred them on in the first place.

“We got all the age groups together and made up a routine so that we could show the country what acrobatic gymnastics were,” Adam says. “We were just going to see what happened.”

A few weeks later not only had the hastily formed Spelbound won, but were performing in front of the Queen herself at The Royal Variety Show, and all of their dreams came true.

“It was such an amazing experience,” Adam recalls. “But you don’t realise at the time how many people you’ve reached until that day because although you’re performing to the audience, of course there are millions watching on TV – 12 million I think it was,” he grins.

“It’s been a bit crazy ever since actually but then it’s what we have always wanted to do, being able to focus just on our gymnastics.”

Maybe we should mention here that a week after the end of the Britain’s Got Talent Live Tour, Adam won the Men’s Group Senior World title in Poland – what a year!

And now the dream is continuing, as Spelbound tours the country showing off their death-defying acrobatics to thousands of fans and coming to the New Theatre tomorrow.

“We’re also rehearsing at the moment for a live Britain’s Got Talent date,” Adam confides, so they’ll be back on our TV screens any day.

Currently gunning for a Spelbound spot in the 2012 London Olympics opening ceremony, Adam has certainly got his hands full. But in the meantime, he’s as happy as larry, training five to seven times a week and keeping the show on the road. “It’s a full-time job now,” he says happily. “And let’s face it, this is my perfect occupation.”

* Spelbound is appearing at Oxford’s New Theatre tomorrow night. Call the box office on 0844 8471588.