William Cheong looks so similar to the former North Korea leader, Kim Jong-il, he has been able to carve out a career as an impersonator.

But sharing the same features as communist leader Kim Jong-il, including his height, at 1.6m, is proving a turn-off with the ladies.

Cheong, or KT, as he is known to his friends, is a hotel worker who lives in Acton, west London.

And, as the Kim Jong-il marionette in the film Team America: World Police, would say, he is feeling “ronery”.

Cheong said: “I’m single and have no children and I would love to meet someone but looking like Kim Jong-il doesn’t help, as you can imagine.

“It’s great for my sideline as an actor but not very good for my love life.”

Having signed up with the Ray Knight casting agency and Susan Scott lookalikes, Cheong’s looks have taken him abroad to work on advertisements, including Japan, and in the Middle East, where he promoted chocolate.

He said: “People try to comfort me, saying some figures are more famous when they’re dead but I don’t think it will be the case with Kim.”