There's Something About JT.......

When a certain young Lewis Hamilton burst onto the F1 scene last year, becoming the most successful rookie of all time only to be denied the title at the last minute, as a nation we took him straight to our hearts.

Billed as the next Senna or Schumacher, we jumped behind this new hero, plastered his face across front and back pages of newspapers, while F1 audience figures finally shot up again as the whole country tuned in, hoping to see another British champion

But he didn't actually win, did he?

Meanwhile, over in the World Superbike Championship, working class Yorkshireman JT went out and took his second title and then quit the championship to head off to the dizzy heights of MotoGP where surely as a Brit on a satellite bike, he was going to get his ass handed to him.

Except he hasn't. Since his arrival in the world's premier two-wheel championship, JT has proved he has more than enough about him to run at the sharp end, and surely his first race win can only be just around the corner.

I know more than anyone that bike racing isn't the hit here as F1 is, and while it has never looked like it ever could be, surely JT is the only man who can set about a change.

The UK needs a new sports hero, someone who has it all, who can appeal to men, women, children from all walks of life.

If we're after a new Beckham, JT is the man we should be focussing on.

A down-to-earth guy who grew up on a normal housing estate in Rotherham, there was no silver spoon stuck into this lad's mouth, instead he had to rely on talent and talent alone to get to where he is.

But it's not just that he's a brilliant sportsman. JT is the kid who was clearly good at everything when he was at school.

A fantastic Jazz pianist, who would surely have risen to the top as a musician had his life not been spent messing around with motorbikes, musicians across the globe are queueing up to have the chance to jam with him - he's even played with the legend that is Jools Holland.

And typically, he's got the movie star good looks, with huge brown eyes and a big friendly smile.

Young girls love him, older women love him and the men tend not to care because they also love him!

He's incredibly media savy too. JT is never too busy to speak to you, he's always got time for interviews even if he's having a day from hell, and he would never in a million years turn down a request for an autograph or photograph from a fan.

Yet as country, we've not really acknowledged his existence. This bloke could surely be a hero to millions, he could sell your products, he could look good fronting your marketing campaigns.

Perhaps now he's arrived in MotoGP and is actually showing he could be champ one day, the UK will start to notice JT for what he is.

If ever there was a man who could be the face of UK sport, then look no further than JT.

....and of course, when the world does wake up to what its missing out on, just remember where you heard it first.