Jae Alexander has an unusual claim to fame - he nearly killed Catherine Zeta Jones in his car.

But in classical music circles Jae is better known as the conductor of the English National Orchestra.

And he will be waving his trusty baton for the Classical Picnic and Proms in Lydiard Park this month.

Jae, 43, said: "I've been coming to Lydiard for the past eight years and love it. The setting is beautiful and the people are great."

Guest soprano Sarah Ryan and tenor Ted Jackson will be joining Jae and his orchestra for a rousing night of pomp and circumstance.

No stranger to the stars, Jae has performed across the world with artists including Placido Domingo, Andrea Bocelli and Charlotte Church.

In fact he was conducting when Charlotte sang soprano at the Wiltshire Festival's classical extravaganza in 1999.

Jae said: "I was the first person to conduct for her when she made a TV appearance and sang Some-where from West Side Story.

"She was wearing a white ball gown and tiara and looked stunning. She sounded amazing too and I could tell she had a special sparkle.

"But Charlotte is still very down to earth."

And Charlotte is not the only Welsh celebrity who Jae has seen on the road to stardom.

He remembers conducting for the musical Pajama Game in 1985 when Catherine Zeta Jones appeared in the show.

Jae said: "We were on tour in Leicester and it was Christmas. I offered to drive Catherine back home to Wales because my family also lived there."

Catherine was only 16 at the time and Jae gave her the fright of her life.

He said: "There had been a bad accident on the M5 and you couldn't see for the rain. I nearly drove into a coach and ended up in the central reservation. Catherine was screaming and after the drama passed we both had a little cry."

Whenever Jae's name crops up, Catherine always says: 'He nearly killed me in a car crash.'

He said: "She was a lovely girl and had a fantastic voice. Despite her fame, she still stays in touch with her Welsh mates."

Lou Lou, Ernie Wise and Diana Rigg are among the other big names who Jae has worked with in West End musicals.

Born and brought up in the Welsh town Port Talbot, music doesn't run in his family. His late father Alan was a train driver and mother Margaret works in a betting shop.

Jae said: "Apparently I kept begging my parents to buy me a piano. I was only six and said: 'please, I've wanted one all my life!' Then my father said: "Jesus has spoken, and they bought me one."

By the age of 11 he was a church organist and sang Barry Manilow hits in working men's clubs.

At 18 Jae knew he wanted to pursue a career in show business so he went to study stage management at the Central School of Speech and Drama in London.

His first job was being stage manager for the Haymarket Theatre in Leicester.

He said: "They realised I was rather good on the piano, so made me musical director."

His big break came at the age of 22, when he was asked to conduct for the musical West Side Story in London's West End.

He continued working in musicals before joining the English National Orchestra nine years ago.

Jae said: "They are all fantastic people and a joy to conduct."

Conducting in the lap of luxury, he goes on cruises on the QE2, entertaining passengers with old favourites from the musicals.

He said: "I have my own cabin.

"This year I went on a cruise from Brazil to Bermuda. It was breathtaking."

Jae now lives in London and in his spare time enjoys gardening or going to the theatre.

In November he starts work on a new musical called Grand Hotel. But on August 27 Jae will channel all his energies into making the classical proms go with a bang.

He said: "We will be doing Jerusalem, Land of Hope and Glory, the 1812 Overture and music from movies like Harry Potter, Star Wars and ET. I can't wait and just hope the weather will be kind."