A SELF-TAUGHT street dancer will be body popping all the way to the Olympic closing ceremony.

Basildon boy Joseph Pharoah, 26, saw off thousands of hopefuls to be chosen to take part in the glittering finale of the Games on Sunday, August 12.

He is not able to give too much away about the top secret event, which is being directed by Kim Gavin who put together Take That’s highly acclaimed Circus tour, but said he will be dancing with Scottish singer Annie Lennox on the night.

The honour is a major milestone in Joseph’s career. He runs an online cosmetic business and also works as an actor. He only started taking dance seriously in the last couple of years after watching the likes of Michael Jackson and Britain’s Got Talent winners, Diversity.

Joseph, who went to Woodlands School, in Basildon, said: “It will be my first big showcase. I’m excited and a little bit nervous as there will be a billion people watching it around the world as well as in the stadium.

“I want to get it right, but we have trained a lot and will be rehearsing right up until the day.”

After the success of the opening ceremony, directed by Danny Boyle, Joseph said there is pressure for the closing celebrations to be just as good.

He added: “I was really impressed with the opening ceremony, but if the closing goes just as well, the Olympics will have been a great success.”