I'd Do Anything (BBC TV series)
Encyclopedia
I'd Do Anything is a 2008
2008 in television
The following is a list of events affecting American television in 2008. Events listed include television show debuts, finales, cancellations, and new channel launches.-January:-February:-March:-April:-May:-June:-July:-August:...

 talent show
Talent show
A talent show is an event where participants perform their talent or talents of acting, singing, dancing, acrobatics, drumming, martial arts, playing an instrument, and other activities to showcase a unique form of talent, sometimes for a reward, trophy or prize...

-themed television series produced by the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...

 in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

 and broadcast on BBC One
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...

. It premièred on 15 March 2008. The show searched for a new, unknown lead to play Nancy and three young performers who will take it in turns to play Oliver
Oliver Twist
Oliver Twist; or, The Parish Boy's Progress is the second novel by English author Charles Dickens, published by Richard Bentley in 1838. The story is about an orphan Oliver Twist, who endures a miserable existence in a workhouse and then is placed with an undertaker. He escapes and travels to...

 in a West End
West End theatre
West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...

 revival of the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

 musical
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...

 Oliver!
Oliver!
Oliver! is a British musical, with script, music and lyrics by Lionel Bart. The musical is based upon the novel Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens....

.

The show, named after the song "I'd Do Anything
I'd Do Anything (song)
"I'd Do Anything" is a song performed by various characters in the 1960 British musical Oliver! and the 1968 film of the same name.-Song:...

", was hosted by Graham Norton
Graham Norton
Graham William Walker, known by his stage name Graham Norton , is an Irish actor, comedian, television presenter and columnist...

 with Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber is an English composer of musical theatre.Lloyd Webber has achieved great popular success in musical theatre. Several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the West End and on Broadway. He has composed 13 musicals, a song cycle, a set of...

 again overseeing the programme, together with theatrical producer
Theatrical producer
A theatrical producer is the person ultimately responsible for overseeing all aspects of mounting a theatre production. The independent producer will usually be the originator and finder of the script and starts the whole process...

 Cameron Mackintosh
Cameron Mackintosh
Sir Cameron Anthony Mackintosh is a British theatrical producer notable for his association with many commercially successful musicals. At the height of his success in 1990, he was described as being "the most successful, influential and powerful theatrical producer in the world" by the New York...

. In January 2008, John Barrowman
John Barrowman
John Scot Barrowman is a Scottish-American singer, actor, dancer, musical theatre performer and media personality. Born in Glasgow yet growing up in Illinois after his family emigrated to the United States when he was eight years old, Barrowman was encouraged to further his love for music and...

 confirmed he would be taking part in the show. The BBC also confirmed in late February 2008 that Barry Humphries
Barry Humphries
John Barry Humphries, AO, CBE is an Australian comedian, satirist, dadaist, artist, author and character actor, best known for his on-stage and television alter egos Dame Edna Everage, a Melbourne housewife and "gigastar", and Sir Les Patterson, Australia's foul-mouthed cultural attaché to the...

 would join Barrowman and Denise Van Outen
Denise van Outen
Denise van Outen is an English actress, singer and television presenter. Her most notable roles to date are as a presenter on The Big Breakfast, and as Roxie Hart in the musical Chicago on both the West End and on Broadway.- Early life :Born Denise Kathleen Outen in Basildon, Essex, she is the...

 (who was previously the presenter of the US Broadway reality show Grease: You're the One that I Want!) on the judging panel of the show.

Auditions for the show began in January 2008, with the show airing on BBC One throughout March, April and May 2008. In the final, on 31 May, Jodie Prenger
Jodie Prenger
Jodie Prenger is an English actress and singer. She was the winner of BBC talent show-themed television series I'd Do Anything on 31 May 2008. She was also the winner of the second series of The Biggest Loser on Living in 2006...

 was announced as the winner of the series.

Format

Commissioned after the success of the two similar BBC series How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?
How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?
How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria? was a British television talent series, that was broadcast on Saturday evenings on BBC One between 29 July and 16 September 2006. It documented the search for a new, undiscovered musical theatre performer to play the role of Maria von Trapp in the 2006 Andrew...

 and Any Dream Will Do
Any Dream Will Do (TV series)
Any Dream Will Do, often known as 'Joseph', was a 2007 talent show-themed television series produced by the BBC in the United Kingdom. It searched for a new, unknown lead to play Joseph in a West End revival of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.The show...

, the series followed the same format to find a new unknown lead, but with two roles rather than one as in the previous two series. However, whilst the format for the Nancy was the same with the public choosing the winner, the three boys who will play the part of Oliver were chosen by the judging panel.

Criteria

Auditions took place in 2008; in Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...

 on 24 January, Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...

 on 26–27 January, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...

 from 1 to 3 February and Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...

 on 6 February with auditions for both parts taking place at the same venues and dates.

Nancy
For the role of Nancy applicants needed to be aged 17 or over on 1 January 2008, with the playing age being 17-35. Entry was open to both amateur and professional performers. Stages one and two were the same as for the part of Oliver. At stage three though, the call-backs took place between 16 and 18 February when the show's panel interviewed the auditionees. There were then workshops and final audition performances between 21 and 26 February; and throughout mid-March, April and May for the television show. The "Nancys" had to impress the panel in the first two shows and, from programme three, they also had to gain viewer support to stay in with a chance of winning the role of Nancy.

Oliver
Oliver Twist (character)
Oliver Twist is the protagonist of the novel Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens. He was the first child protagonist in an English language novel.-Background:...


For the role of Oliver applicants needed to be at least nine on 1 January 2008 and no older than 14 on 31 December 2008 with the part of Oliver being from nine to twelve years old. The auditions were in two stages. Those who made it through to the second stage were filmed and then twelve young performers went through to stage three, the live television show where each week they learned a piece to perform on the show. Eight boys went through to the semi-final. Three boys were then chosen in the final stage, with one of the final three performing at the press night of Oliver! Following expert advice in providing a duty of care to child contributors, the BBC announced on 13 March that the boys would not face a public vote, and that each week the "Olivers" would be performing musical tasks, learning the tricks of the theatre trade and also perform as a group, before the judging panel make their final choices.

Auditions

The first programme, which aired on 15 March, charted the journeys of thousands of auditionees as they begin their quest for stardom in the regional auditions.

For the role of Nancy, just over a hundred girls were called to London to perform before the panel, consisting of John Barrowman
John Barrowman
John Scot Barrowman is a Scottish-American singer, actor, dancer, musical theatre performer and media personality. Born in Glasgow yet growing up in Illinois after his family emigrated to the United States when he was eight years old, Barrowman was encouraged to further his love for music and...

, Denise Van Outen
Denise van Outen
Denise van Outen is an English actress, singer and television presenter. Her most notable roles to date are as a presenter on The Big Breakfast, and as Roxie Hart in the musical Chicago on both the West End and on Broadway.- Early life :Born Denise Kathleen Outen in Basildon, Essex, she is the...

 and David Grindrod
David Grindrod
David Grindrod is a British theatre and television casting director, primarily working with Andrew Lloyd Webber.His West End theatre credits include Mamma Mia!, The Phantom of the Opera, Jesus Christ Superstar, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, West Side Story, Saturday Night Fever and...

. Those who stood out then had the chance to win a place at Nancy School, the next stage in the competition. For the role of Oliver, fifty young boys were selected to work with musical theatre experts before the final twelve were chosen for the live shows by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Cameron Mackintosh.

The second programme, which aired on 22 March, focussed mainly on the 42 girls at Nancy School and the procedure of finding the final twelve girls to compete in the weekly live show for the part of Nancy. The twelve boys who will compete on the live show for the part of Oliver were also introduced throughout the programme.

Weekly format

Saturday - Live
The show opens with a group number by the Nancys and Olivers. Each Nancy then performs a song, with feedback provided by the panel and Lloyd Webber. The public votes for the contestant they wish to keep in the show. Voting closes shortly after the broadcast of the Saturday programme.

Footage of the Olivers' progress is shown, during which Andrew Lloyd Webber and Cameron Mackintosh select one to proceed through to the semi-final.

Sunday - Recorded after live show on Saturdays.
The Oliver who was announced as a semi-finalist takes the lead with the other Olivers in a song. After the results of the public vote have been processed, the two Nancys with the least number of votes enter a "sing-off". Lloyd Webber then chooses which Nancy from the "sing-off" to save each week. The eliminated Nancy takes the lead in their sing-out medley of "Be Back Soon" and "As Long as He Needs Me
As Long as He Needs Me
As Long as He Needs Me is a torch song sung by the character of Nancy in the musical film Oliver!, introduced in the 1960 musical. It is a love ballad about her criminal boyfriend Bill Sikes...

".

Nancy

Twelve potential Nancys made it through the audition rounds and performed during the live shows. Each Nancy wore a unique coloured dress and a locket. At the end of every live show, the losing Nancy would have the locket stripped off by the Nancy who survived the singoff. In the final, on 31 May 2008, Jodie Prenger was announced as the winner.
Finalist Age * From Dress Colour Status
Amy Booth-Steel 24 Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...

Lime Green Eliminated in week 1
Cleopatra "Cleo" Royer 22 London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...

Lavender Eliminated in week 2
Tara Bethan 24 Clwyd
Clwyd
Clwyd is a preserved county of Wales, situated in the north-east, bordering England with Cheshire to its east, Shropshire to the south-east, and the Welsh counties of Gwynedd to its immediate west and Powys to the south. It additionally shares a maritime border with the metropolitan county of...

Orange Eliminated in week 3
Francesca Jackson
Francesca Jackson
Francesca Jackson is a musical theatre actress. She took part in the Reality television show I'd Do Anything and lost out the role of Nancy to Jodie Prenger.-Background:...

24 West Glamorgan
West Glamorgan
West Glamorgan is a preserved county and former administrative county of Wales, one of the divisions of the ancient county of Glamorgan.West Glamorgan was created on 1 April 1974, by the Local Government Act 1972 from the county borough of Swansea, the municipal boroughs of Neath and Port Talbot,...

Baby Pink Eliminated in week 4
Keisha Amponsa-Banson 23 London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...

Gold Eliminated in week 5
Sarah Lark
Sarah Lark
Sarah Lark is a Welsh singer and actress who rose to fame when she competed as one of the finalists in the BBC talent show-themed television series I'd Do Anything in 2008.-Background:...

 
25 Glamorgan
Glamorgan
Glamorgan or Glamorganshire is one of the thirteen historic counties and a former administrative county of Wales. It was originally an early medieval kingdom of varying boundaries known as Glywysing until taken over by the Normans as a lordship. Glamorgan is latterly represented by the three...

Pale Green Eliminated in week 6
Ashley J Russell  24 Falkirk
Falkirk
Falkirk is a town in the Central Lowlands of Scotland. It lies in the Forth Valley, almost midway between the two most populous cities of Scotland; north-west of Edinburgh and north-east of Glasgow....

Dark Blue Eliminated in week 7
Niamh Perry
Niamh Perry
Niamh Perry is an Irish singer and actress who competed as one of the finalists in the BBC talent show-themed television series I'd Do Anything in 2008 and is currently portraying Fleck in the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical Love Never Dies.-Background:Born in Bangor, County Down, Perry attended Our...

17 Bangor, County Down
Bangor, County Down
Bangor is a large town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is a seaside resort on the southern side of Belfast Lough and within the Belfast Metropolitan Area. Bangor Marina is one of the largest in Ireland, and holds Blue Flag status...

Pink Eliminated in week 8
Rachel Tucker
Rachel Tucker
Rachel Tucker is a Northern Irish singer and actress who competed as one of the finalists in the BBC talent show-themed television series I'd Do Anything in 2008...

26 Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...

Yellow Eliminated in week 9
Samantha Barks
Samantha Barks
Samantha Barks is a professional singer and actress who came third in the BBC talent show-themed television series I'd Do Anything in 2008.-Background:Samantha was born and brought up on the Isle of Man...

17 Laxey
Laxey
Laxey is a village on the east coast of the Isle of Man. Its name derives from the Old Norse Laxa meaning 'Salmon River'.The village lies on the A2, the main Douglas to Ramsey road. Laxey Glen is one of the Manx National Glens, with Dhoon Glen being located close by...

, the Isle of Man
Isle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...

Blue Third Place
Jessie Buckley
Jessie Buckley
Jessie Buckley is an Irish singer and actress who came second place in the BBC talent show-themed television series I'd Do Anything, and subsequently played Anne Egermann in the West End revival of Stephen Sondheim's A Little Night Music.-Background:The eldest of five children, Buckley comes from...

18 Killarney
Killarney
Killarney is a town in County Kerry, southwestern Ireland. The town is located north of the MacGillicuddy Reeks, on the northeastern shore of the Lough Lein/Leane which are part of Killarney National Park. The town and its surrounding region are home to St...

, County Kerry
County Kerry
Kerry means the "people of Ciar" which was the name of the pre-Gaelic tribe who lived in part of the present county. The legendary founder of the tribe was Ciar, son of Fergus mac Róich. In Old Irish "Ciar" meant black or dark brown, and the word continues in use in modern Irish as an adjective...

Dark Green Second Place
Jodie Prenger
Jodie Prenger
Jodie Prenger is an English actress and singer. She was the winner of BBC talent show-themed television series I'd Do Anything on 31 May 2008. She was also the winner of the second series of The Biggest Loser on Living in 2006...

28 Blackpool
Blackpool
Blackpool is a borough, seaside town, and unitary authority area of Lancashire, in North West England. It is situated along England's west coast by the Irish Sea, between the Ribble and Wyre estuaries, northwest of Preston, north of Liverpool, and northwest of Manchester...

Purple Winner

* as of the start of the series

Oliver

Twelve potential Olivers made it through the audition rounds and performed in the live shows. Each Oliver was identified with a different coloured scarf, and during the first eight live shows, the Oliver who did best in the mission for that week made it through to the final eight. This Oliver would also receive a hat, and lead vocals in a performance with all the Olivers on the live show. Ultimately, Gwion Jones, Harry Stott and Laurence Jeffcoate were announced as the three winning Olivers in week nine on 24 May.
Finalist Age * From Scarf Colour Status
Gareth Borrow 12 Derry
Derry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...

Pink Reached final 12
Jordan Li-Smith 13 Wrexham
Wrexham
Wrexham is a town in Wales. It is the administrative centre of the wider Wrexham County Borough, and the largest town in North Wales, located in the east of the region. It is situated between the Welsh mountains and the lower Dee Valley close to the border with Cheshire, England...

Red Reached final 12
Joseph McNamara 9 Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...

Yellow Reached final 12
Sam Cotton 10 Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...

Dark Blue Reached final 12
Chester McKee
Chester McKee
Chester McKee was one of the final eight contestants on the BBC reality show I'd Do Anything, auditioning for the part of Oliver.McKee starred in the video for "Let It Come Down" by the band Lucky Jim., he also appeared at the beginning of the Scissor Sisters music video for I Don't Feel Like...

12 London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...

Dark Red Reached final 8, announced in week 2
Arthur Byrne 10 Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...

Purple Reached final 8, announced in week 3
Kwayedza Kureya 13 Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...

Light Blue Reached final 8, announced in week 4
Alexander Hockaday 11 London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...

Dark Orange Reached final 8, announced in week 5
Jonny Clowes 13 Leamington Spa
Leamington Spa
Royal Leamington Spa, commonly known as Leamington Spa or Leamington or Leam to locals, is a spa town in central Warwickshire, England. Formerly known as Leamington Priors, its expansion began following the popularisation of the medicinal qualities of its water by Dr Kerr in 1784, and by Dr Lambe...

Dark Green Reached final 8, announced in week 8
Gwion Jones 11 Carmarthenshire
Carmarthenshire
Carmarthenshire is a unitary authority in the south west of Wales and one of thirteen historic counties. It is the 3rd largest in Wales. Its three largest towns are Llanelli, Carmarthen and Ammanford...

Light Green Winner, announced in final 8 in week 1
Harry Stott 12 Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....

Orange Winner, announced in final 8 in week 6
Laurence Jeffcoate 11 Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...

Beige Winner, announced in final 8 in week 7
  • as of the start of the series

Stage Finals
Show Show 1 Show 2 Show 3 Show 4 Show 5 Show 6 Show 7 Show 8 Show 9 Show 10
Place Contestant Result
1 Jodie Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Winner
2 Jessie Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe
3 Samantha Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Third place
4 Rachel Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Elim
5 Niamh Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Elim
6 Ashley Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Elim
7 Sarah Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Elim
8 Keisha Safe Safe Elim
9 Francesca Safe Safe Elim
10 Tara Safe Safe Elim
11 Cleo Safe Elim
12 Amy Elim

Week one (29/30 March)

Gwion was announced as the first Oliver semi-finalist on the Saturday show and Amy was the first Nancy to be eliminated in the Results show on Sunday.

The show performances and missions were:
  • Group performances:
    • Nancys and Olivers: "I'd Do Anything
      I'd Do Anything (song)
      "I'd Do Anything" is a song performed by various characters in the 1960 British musical Oliver! and the 1968 film of the same name.-Song:...

      "
    • Olivers: "Food, Glorious Food"
    • Nancys: "Sound of the Underground
      Sound of the Underground (song)
      "Sound of the Underground" is the debut single by British all-female pop group Girls Aloud, later featured on their debut album of the same name. The song was written by Miranda Cooper, Brian Higgins, and Niara Scarlett, and produced by Higgins and his production team Xenomania...

      "
    • Gwion and the Olivers: "Bright Eyes
      Bright Eyes (Art Garfunkel song)
      "Bright Eyes" is a song written by Mike Batt, and performed by Art Garfunkel. It was used in the soundtrack of the 1978 film Watership Down and as such is considered the theme song of the film and the later television series adaptations. The track also appears on Garfunkel's fourth studio album,...

      "

  • Individual performances (in order of performance):
    • Jessie: "River Deep - Mountain High
      River Deep - Mountain High
      "River Deep – Mountain High" is a 1966 single by Ike & Tina Turner. Considered by producer Phil Spector to be his best work, the single was successful in Europe, peaking at #3 in the United Kingdom, though it flopped on its original release in the United States...

      "
    • Jodie: "Chasing Pavements
      Chasing Pavements
      "Chasing Pavements" is the second single from soul singer Adele. Adele performed the song on Friday Night with Jonathan Ross on 7 December 2007....

      "
    • Tara: "Suddenly I See
      Suddenly I See
      "Suddenly I See" is a song by British singer-songwriter KT Tunstall and is featured on her debut album, Eye to the Telescope. It was released on 29 August 2005 as the third single from the album, charting at #12 in the UK Singles Chart . The single was a hit in Australia where it charted at #6 on...

      "
    • Ashley: "Black Velvet
      Black Velvet (song)
      "Black Velvet" is a rock song written by Canadian musicians David Tyson and Christopher Ward, and recorded by Canadian singer Alannah Myles in 1988. It became a number one hit for two weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 charts in 1990 and reached number one on the Album Rock Tracks chart, as well as...

      "
    • Amy: "Respect
      Respect (song)
      "Respect" is a song written and originally released by Stax recording artist Otis Redding in 1965. "Respect" became a 1967 hit and signature song for R&B singer Aretha Franklin. The music in the two versions is significantly different, and through a few minor changes in the lyrics, the stories told...

      "
    • Keisha: "Mad About the Boy
      Mad About the Boy
      Dinah Washington's 1952 recording of "Mad about the Boy" is possibly the most widely known version of the song in modern times. The 6/8-time arrangement for voice and jazz orchestra by Quincy Jones omits two verses and was recorded in the singer's native Chicago on the Mercury label.Washington's...

      "
    • Francesca: "Hero
      Hero (Mariah Carey song)
      "Hero" is a song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey. It was released on October 19, 1993 by Columbia Records as the second single from Carey's third studio album, Music Box . Originally intended for Gloria Estefan, the song was written and produced by Carey and Walter Afanasieff...

      "
    • Rachel: "About You Now
      About You Now
      "About You Now" is a 2007 single by English girl group Sugababes, written by Cathy Dennis and producer Dr. Luke for the group's fifth studio album, Change...

      "
    • Samantha: "I Love Rock 'n' Roll
      I Love Rock 'n' Roll
      "I Love Rock 'n Roll" is a rock song written in 1975 by Alan Merrill and Jake Hooker of Arrows, who recorded the first released version. The song was later made famous by the hit version recorded by Joan Jett & the Blackhearts in 1981....

      "
    • Sarah: "Get Here"
    • Cleo: "Who Knew
      Who Knew
      "Who Knew" is a pop rock song written by Pink, Max Martin and Dr. Luke for Pink's fourth album, I'm Not Dead . It was released as the album's second single worldwide in 2006, and was re-released to U.S...

      "
    • Niamh: "The First Cut Is the Deepest
      The First Cut Is the Deepest
      "The First Cut Is the Deepest" is a 1967 song written by Cat Stevens, originally released by P. P. Arnold in the spring of 1967. Stevens' own version of the song is technically a cover, and originally appeared on his album New Masters in December 1967....

      "

  • Missions:
    • Nancys: Working in an East End
      East End of London
      The East End of London, also known simply as the East End, is the area of London, England, United Kingdom, east of the medieval walled City of London and north of the River Thames. Although not defined by universally accepted formal boundaries, the River Lea can be considered another boundary...

       market
      Market
      A market is one of many varieties of systems, institutions, procedures, social relations and infrastructures whereby parties engage in exchange. While parties may exchange goods and services by barter, most markets rely on sellers offering their goods or services in exchange for money from buyers...

    • Olivers: Learning magic tricks
      Magic (illusion)
      Magic is a performing art that entertains audiences by staging tricks or creating illusions of seemingly impossible or supernatural feats using natural means...

       with Paul Kieve
      Paul Kieve
      Paul Kieve is an English professional illusionist and whose consulting work for both stage and screen has contributed to changing how magical special effects in productions are approached...


  • Panel's verdict on who was not Nancy:
    • John Barrowman: Amy
    • Denise Van Outen: Tara
    • Barry Humphries: Amy

  • Sing-off:
    • Amy and Francesca were in the sing-off, with Amy having received the lowest number of viewers votes. They sang "Tell Me on a Sunday
      Tell Me On A Sunday
      Tell Me on a Sunday is a musical with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Don Black. A one-act song cycle, it tells the story of an ordinary English girl from Muswell Hill, who journeys to the United States in search of love...

      " (from the musical of the same name).
    • Andrew Lloyd Webber chose to save Francesca and eliminate Amy.

Week two (5/6 April)

Chester was announced as the second Oliver semi-finalist on the Saturday show and Cleo was the second Nancy to be eliminated in the Results show on Sunday

The show performances and missions were:
  • Group performances:
    • Nancys: "Oom-Pah-Pah"
    • Olivers: "Electricity" from Billy Elliot the Musical
      Billy Elliot the Musical
      Billy Elliot the Musical is a musical based on the 2000 film Billy Elliot. The music is by Sir Elton John, and book and lyrics are by Lee Hall, who wrote the film's screenplay. The plot revolves around motherless Billy, who trades boxing gloves for ballet shoes...

    • Nancys: "Enough is Enough
      No More Tears (Enough is Enough)
      "No More Tears " is a duet from 1979 by Donna Summer and Barbra Streisand. While Summer was famous for her disco material and Streisand for her more easy listening and soundtrack work , this song fused both sounds with a slow beginning which then develops into a disco song...

      "
    • Chester and the Olivers: "Pie Jesu
      Pie Jesu
      Pie Jesu is a motet derived from the final couplet of the Dies irae and often included in musical settings of the Requiem Mass. The settings of the Requiem Mass by Luigi Cherubini, Gabriel Fauré, Maurice Duruflé, John Rutter, Karl Jenkins and Fredrik Sixten include a Pie Jesu as an independent...

      "

  • Individual performances (in order of performance):
    • Niamh: "I've Got the Music in Me
      I've Got the Music in Me
      "I've Got the Music in Me" is a song by The Kiki Dee Band, released in 1974. It was written in 1973 by Bias Boshell, Kiki Dee Band's keyboardist....

      "
    • Cleo: "Feeling Good
      Feeling Good
      "Feeling Good" is a song written by English singer-songwriters Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse for the 1965 musical The Roar of the Greasepaint - The Smell of the Crowd starring Cy Grant, who sang the original version of the song...

      "
    • Keisha: "Get the Party Started
      Get the Party Started
      "Get the Party Started" is a song performed by Pink, and was the first single from her second album, Missundaztood . It became an international hit and reached the top ten in many countries. The song was Pink's highest selling at that time...

      "
    • Samantha: "See the Day"
    • Francesca: "Somebody to Love
      Somebody to Love (Queen song)
      "Somebody to Love" is a song by British rock band Queen. Written by lead vocalist and pianist Freddie Mercury, the track featured on their 1976 album A Day at the Races, and also appears on the band's compilation album, Greatest Hits...

      "
    • Rachel: "Beautiful
      Beautiful (Christina Aguilera song)
      "Beautiful" is a song written by Linda Perry and recorded by American singer Christina Aguilera for Aguilera's fourth studio album, Stripped...

      "
    • Sarah: "Piece of My Heart
      Piece of My Heart
      "Piece of My Heart" is a song written by Jerry Ragovoy and Bert Berns and originally recorded by Erma Franklin in 1967. The song came to greater mainstream attention when Big Brother and the Holding Company covered the song in 1968 and had a hit with it...

      "
    • Tara: "Without You"
    • Jodie: "I'm Every Woman
      I'm Every Woman
      "I'm Every Woman" is a hit song recorded by Chaka Khan in 1978. It was Chaka Khan's first hit outside of her recordings with funk band Rufus; the song was included on her platinum debut solo album Chaka. Produced by Arif Mardin and written by successful songwriting team Nickolas Ashford and Valerie...

      "
    • Ashley: "Mercy
      Mercy (song)
      "Mercy" is a soul song performed by Welsh blue-eyed soul singer Duffy, released as the second single from her debut album, Rockferry . Co-written by Duffy and Steve Booker and produced by Booker, it was released over 2008 worldwide to critical acclaim and unprecedented chart success...

      "
    • Jessie: "Killing Me Softly with His Song
      Killing Me Softly with His Song
      "Killing Me Softly with His Song" is a 1971 song composed by Charles Fox and Norman Gimbel. It has been covered by numerous artists, most notably by Roberta Flack whose version topped the U.S...

      "

  • Missions:
    • Nancys: Facing their fears
      Phobia
      A phobia is a type of anxiety disorder, usually defined as a persistent fear of an object or situation in which the sufferer commits to great lengths in avoiding, typically disproportional to the actual danger posed, often being recognized as irrational...

       interacting with rat
      Rat
      Rats are various medium-sized, long-tailed rodents of the superfamily Muroidea. "True rats" are members of the genus Rattus, the most important of which to humans are the black rat, Rattus rattus, and the brown rat, Rattus norvegicus...

      s and acting with Steven Hartley
      Steven Hartley
      Steven Hartley is a British actor known for his television, film and theatre roles. He has appeared in leading roles on British television since 1985, including the series EastEnders from 1987-1989 and The Bill 2000-2002...

       as Bill Sykes
    • Olivers: Acting class in the West End
      West End theatre
      West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...

       at Billy Elliot the Musical
      Billy Elliot the Musical
      Billy Elliot the Musical is a musical based on the 2000 film Billy Elliot. The music is by Sir Elton John, and book and lyrics are by Lee Hall, who wrote the film's screenplay. The plot revolves around motherless Billy, who trades boxing gloves for ballet shoes...


  • Panel's verdict on who was not Nancy:
    • John Barrowman: Samantha
    • Denise Van Outen: Keisha
    • Barry Humphries: Keisha

  • Sing-off:
    • Cleo and Keisha were in the sing-off, with Keisha having received the lowest number of viewers votes. They sang "I Know Him So Well
      I Know Him So Well
      "I Know Him So Well" is a song from the concept album and subsequent musical Chess by Tim Rice, Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus. In this duet, two women – Svetlana, the Russian chess champion's estranged wife, and Florence, his mistress – express their bittersweet feelings for him and at seeing...

      " (from the musical Chess
      Chess (musical)
      Chess is a musical with music by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, formerly of ABBA, and with lyrics by Tim Rice. The story involves a romantic triangle between two top players, an American and a Russian, in a world chess championship, and a woman who manages one and falls in love with the other;...

      ).
    • Andrew Lloyd Webber chose to save Keisha and eliminate Cleo.

Week three (12/13 April)

Arthur was announced as the third Oliver semi-finalist on the Saturday show and Tara was the third Nancy to be eliminated in the Results show on Sunday.

The show performances and missions were:
  • Group performances:
    • Nancys: "It's a Fine Life"
    • Olivers: "Teamwork
      Teamwork (song)
      "Teamwork" is a song created especially for the stage musical production of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. It was written by Robert and Richard Sherman in 2001 and premiered at the London Palladium on April 16, 2002. It premiered on Broadway in 2005...

      " from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
      Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (musical)
      Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, also known as Chitty the Musical, is a stage musical based on the 1968 film produced by Cubby Broccoli. The music and lyrics were written by Richard and Robert Sherman with book by Jeremy Sams.-Productions:...

    • Nancys: "Good Morning Baltimore" from the musical Hairspray
      Hairspray (musical)
      Hairspray is a musical with music by Marc Shaiman, lyrics by Scott Wittman and Shaiman and a book by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan, based on the 1988 John Waters film Hairspray. The songs include 1960s-style dance music and "downtown" rhythm and blues...

    • Arthur and the Olivers "A Whole New World
      A Whole New World
      "A Whole New World" is the Oscar winning featured pop single from the soundtrack to the 1992 Disney film Aladdin. It was composed by Alan Menken with lyrics by Tim Rice. The song is a ballad between the primary characters Aladdin and Jasmine about the new world they are going to discover together....

      " from the film Aladdin

  • Individual performances (in order of performance):
    • Rachel: "Oh, What a Night
      December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night)
      "December, 1963 " is a hit single by The Four Seasons, written by original Four Seasons keyboard player Bob Gaudio and his future wife Judy Parker, produced by Gaudio, and included on the group's 1975 album, Who Loves You....

      " from the musical Jersey Boys
      Jersey Boys
      Jersey Boys is a jukebox musical with music by Bob Gaudio, lyrics by Bob Crewe and book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice. It is a documentary-style musical, based on one of the most successful 1960s rock 'n roll groups, the Four Seasons...

    • Sarah: "Maybe This Time" from the musical Cabaret
      Cabaret (musical)
      Cabaret is a musical based on a book written by Christopher Isherwood, music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb. The 1966 Broadway production became a hit and spawned a 1972 film as well as numerous subsequent productions....

    • Francesca: "(I've Had) The Time of My Life
      (I've Had) The Time of My Life
      " The Time of My Life" is a song composed by Franke Previte, John DeNicola, and Donald Markowitz. It was recorded by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes, after having been selected to be the finale song for the 1987 film Dirty Dancing, by choreographer Kenny Ortega and his assistant Miranda Garrison...

      " from the film Dirty Dancing
      Dirty Dancing
      Dirty Dancing is a 1987 American romantic film. Written by Eleanor Bergstein and directed by Emile Ardolino, the film features Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey in the lead roles, as well as Cynthia Rhodes and Jerry Orbach...

    • Keisha: "The Lady Is a Tramp
      The Lady Is a Tramp
      "The Lady Is a Tramp" is a show tune from the 1937 Rodgers and Hart musical Babes In Arms in which it was introduced by former child star Mitzi Green. This song is a spoof of New York high society and its strict etiquette...

      " from the musical Babes in Arms
      Babes in Arms
      Babes in Arms is a 1937 musical with music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Lorenz Hart and book by Rodgers and Hart. It concerns a teen-age boy who puts on a show with his friends to avoid being sent to a work farm.- Production history:...

    • Ashley: "The Winner Takes It All
      The Winner Takes It All
      "The Winner Takes It All" is a song recorded by Swedish pop group ABBA. Released as the first single from the group's Super Trouper album on July 21, 1980, it is a ballad in the key of F-sharp major, reflecting the end of a romance...

      " from the musical Mamma Mia!
      Mamma Mia!
      Mamma Mia! is a stage musical written by British playwright Catherine Johnson, based on the songs of ABBA, composed by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, former members of the band. Although the title of the musical is taken from the group's 1975 chart-topper "Mamma Mia", the plot is fictional, not...

    • Jodie: "Send in the Clowns
      Send in the Clowns
      "Send in the Clowns" is a song by Stephen Sondheim from the 1973 musical A Little Night Music, an adaptation of Ingmar Bergman's film Smiles of a Summer Night. It is a ballad from Act II in which the character Desirée reflects on the ironies and disappointments of her life. Among other things, she...

      " from the musical A Little Night Music
      A Little Night Music
      A Little Night Music is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by Hugh Wheeler. Inspired by the Ingmar Bergman film Smiles of a Summer Night, it involves the romantic lives of several couples. Its title is a literal English translation of the German name for Mozart's Serenade...

    • Niamh: "Moon River
      Moon River
      "Moon River" is a song composed by Johnny Mercer and Henry Mancini in 1961, for whom it won that year's Academy Award for Best Original Song. It was originally sung in the movie Breakfast at Tiffany's by Audrey Hepburn, although it has been covered by many other artists...

      " from the film Breakfast at Tiffany's
    • Jessie: "One Night Only
      One Night Only (song)
      "One Night Only" is a song from the 1981 Broadway musical Dreamgirls, with lyrics by Tom Eyen and music by Henry Krieger. In the context of the musical, "One Night Only" is performed twice in succession, as differing versions of the song - a soul ballad by the character Effie White and a disco...

      " from the musical Dreamgirls
    • Tara: "Let's Hear It for the Boy" from the film Footloose
    • Samantha: "Somewhere
      Somewhere (song)
      "Somewhere" is a song from the 1957 Broadway musical West Side Story which was made into a film in 1961. The music is composed by Leonard Bernstein with lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and takes a phrase from the slow movement of Beethoven's 'Emperor' Piano Concerto, which forms the start of the...

      " from the musical West Side Story
      West Side Story
      West Side Story is an American musical with a script by Arthur Laurents, music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and choreographed by Jerome Robbins...


  • Missions:
    • Nancys: Losing their inhibitions by performing the love scene from the musical Hairspray
      Hairspray (musical)
      Hairspray is a musical with music by Marc Shaiman, lyrics by Scott Wittman and Shaiman and a book by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan, based on the 1988 John Waters film Hairspray. The songs include 1960s-style dance music and "downtown" rhythm and blues...

       with Ben James-Ellis
      Ben James-Ellis
      Benjamin James Ellis is an English stage actor who starred in the role of Link Larkin in the West End production of the musical Hairspray from its opening in October 2007 until July 2009...

       in front of their fathers.
    • Olivers: Learning teamwork and stamina at Tottenham Hotspur Training Academy
      Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
      Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....

       with club captain, Robbie Keane
      Robbie Keane
      Robert David "Robbie" Keane is an Irish association football player who plays as a striker for Los Angeles Galaxy in Major League Soccer and captains the Irish national football team....

      .

  • Panel's verdict on who was not Nancy:
    • John Barrowman: Tara
    • Denise Van Outen: Keisha
    • Barry Humphries: Tara

  • Sing-off:
    • Keisha and Tara were in the sing-off, with Keisha having received the lowest number of viewers votes. They sang "Somewhere Over the Rainbow
      Over the Rainbow
      "Over the Rainbow" is a classic Academy Award-winning ballad song with music by Harold Arlen and lyrics by E.Y. Harburg. It was written for the movie The Wizard of Oz, and was sung by Judy Garland in the movie...

      " (from the film The Wizard of Oz
      The Wizard of Oz (1939 film)
      The Wizard of Oz is a 1939 American musical fantasy film produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It was directed primarily by Victor Fleming. Noel Langley, Florence Ryerson and Edgar Allan Woolf received credit for the screenplay, but there were uncredited contributions by others. The lyrics for the songs...

      ).
    • Andrew Lloyd Webber chose to save Keisha and eliminate Tara.

Week four (19/20 April)

Kwayedza was announced as the fourth Oliver semi-finalist on the Saturday show and Francesca was the fourth Nancy to be eliminated in the Results show on Sunday

The show performances and missions were:
  • Group performances:
    • Nancys and Olivers: "Consider Yourself
      Consider Yourself
      "Consider Yourself" is a song from the 1960s original West End and Broadway musical Oliver! and the 1968 film of the same name. In the 1968 Oliver! film, it is performed in the market.-In popular culture:...

      "
    • Olivers: "I Whistle a Happy Tune
      I Whistle a Happy Tune
      "I Whistle a Happy Tune" is a show tune from the 1951 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, The King and I. It is sung by Anna Leonowens to her son Louis after the curtain rises on Act One of the musical, to persuade him not to be afraid as they arrive in Siam to serve the King....

      "
      from The King and I
      The King and I
      The King and I is a stage musical, the fifth by the team of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. The work is based on the 1944 novel Anna and the King of Siam by Margaret Landon and derives from the memoirs of Anna Leonowens, who became governess to the children of King Mongkut of Siam in...

    • Nancys: "Viva Las Vegas
      Viva Las Vegas (song)
      "Viva Las Vegas" is a 1964 song written by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman and recorded by Elvis Presley for his Viva Las Vegas film vehicle of that year...

      "
    • Kwayedza and the Olivers: "I'll Be There"

  • Individual performances (in order of performance):
    • Jodie: "Working 9 to 5
      9 to 5 (Dolly Parton song)
      "9 to 5" is a song written and originally performed by Dolly Parton for the 1980 film comedy Nine to Five, starring Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, and Parton in her film debut....

      "
    • Samantha: "Hurt
      Hurt (Christina Aguilera song)
      "Hurt" is a power ballad written by Christina Aguilera, Linda Perry and Mark Ronson for Aguilera's third studio album, Back to Basics . The song's lyrical content describes how one deals with the loss of a loved one, and it has received praise from pop music critics...

      "
    • Ashley: "I Wanna Dance with Somebody
      I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)
      "I Wanna Dance with Somebody " is the first single from Whitney Houston's second studio album Whitney. It was produced by Narada Michael Walden, and written by George Merrill and Shannon Rubicam of the band Boy Meets Girl, who had previously written the number-one Whitney Houston hit "How Will I...

      "
    • Niamh: "Wind Beneath My Wings
      Wind Beneath My Wings
      "Wind Beneath My Wings" is the title of a song written in 1982 by Jeff Silbar and Larry Henley. They recorded a demo of the song, which they gave to musician Bob Montgomery. Montgomery then recorded his own demo version of the song, changing it from the mid-tempo version he was given to a ballad...

      "
    • Keisha: "My Heart Will Go On
      My Heart Will Go On
      "My Heart Will Go On" is the theme song/love theme of the 1997 blockbuster film Titanic. With music by James Horner, lyrics by Will Jennings, and production by Simon Franglen, James Horner and Walter Afanasieff ,, it was recorded by Céline Dion...

      "
    • Jessie: "Why Do Fools Fall in Love
      Why Do Fools Fall in Love (song)
      "Why Do Fools Fall in Love" is a song that was originally a hit for early New York City-based rock and roll group Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers in 1956. It reached No. 1 on the R&B chart, No. 6 on Billboards Pop Singles chart, and number one on the UK Singles Chart...

      "
    • Sarah: "Midnight Train to Georgia
      Midnight Train to Georgia
      "Midnight Train to Georgia" is a 1973 number-one hit single by Gladys Knight & the Pips, their second release after departing Motown Records for Buddah Records...

      "
    • Francesca: "What's Love Got to Do with It"
    • Rachel: "The Way We Were
      The Way We Were (song)
      "The Way We Were" is the title song to the 1973 movie The Way We Were, starring Barbra Streisand and Robert Redford. The song was written by Alan Bergman and Marilyn Bergman, scored by Marvin Hamlisch and performed by Streisand...

      "

  • Missions:
    • Nancys: Performing "I'm Not that Girl
      I'm Not that Girl (song)
      "I'm Not that Girl" is a song from the musical Wicked, based on the novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire, composed by Stephen Schwartz, originally recorded by Idina Menzel on November 10, 2003, and released on December 16, 2003...

      " from the musical Wicked
      Wicked (musical)
      Wicked is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Winnie Holzman. It is based on the Gregory Maguire novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West , a parallel novel of the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz and L. Frank Baum's classic story The Wonderful Wizard...

       in front of a West End audience at the Apollo Victoria Theatre
      Apollo Victoria Theatre
      The Apollo Victoria Theatre is a West End theatre, located on Wilton Road near Victoria station in the City of Westminster. Opened as a cinema and variety theatre, the Apollo Victoria became a venue for musical theatre, beginning with The Sound of Music in 1981, and including the long-running...

    • Olivers: Testing their bravery by abseiling
      Abseiling
      Abseiling , rappelling in American English, is the controlled descent down a rock face using a rope; climbers use this technique when a cliff or slope is too steep and/or dangerous to descend without protection.- Slang terms :...


  • Panel's verdict on who was not Nancy:
    • John Barrowman: Keisha
    • Denise Van Outen: Keisha
    • Barry Humphries: Francesca

  • Sing-off:
    • Ashley and Francesca were in the sing-off, with Ashley having received the lowest number of viewers votes. They sang "Whistle Down The Wind" (from the musical of the same name).
    • Andrew Lloyd Webber chose to save Ashley and eliminate Francesca.

Week five (26/27 April)

Alexander was announced as the fifth Oliver semi-finalist on the Saturday show and Keisha was the fifth Nancy to be eliminated in the Results show on Sunday.

The show performances and missions were:
  • Group performances:
    • Nancys and Olivers: "You've Got to Pick a Pocket or Two
      You've Got to Pick a Pocket or Two
      "You've Got to Pick a Pocket or Two" is a song from the Tony Award-winning British musical Oliver!, and the 1968 Academy Award winning film Oliver! based on the novel Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens. The musical was penned by Lionel Bart, and was first shown in London's West End in...

      "
    • Olivers: "It's the Hard Knock Life" from Annie
      Annie (musical)
      Annie is a Broadway musical based upon the popular Harold Gray comic strip Little Orphan Annie, with music by Charles Strouse, lyrics by Martin Charnin, and the book by Thomas Meehan. The original Broadway production opened in 1977 and ran for nearly six years with a blonde Annie as the poster...

    • Nancys: Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves
      Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves
      "Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves" is a hit duet recorded between British pop duo Eurythmics and American soul/R&B musician Aretha Franklin, released as a single by RCA Records in October 1985...

    • Alexander and the Olivers: Can You Feel the Love Tonight
      Can You Feel the Love Tonight
      250px|thumb|right|Simba and Nala embrace during the "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" sequence."Can You Feel the Love Tonight" is a song from Disney's 1994 animated film, The Lion King, composed by Elton John with lyrics by Tim Rice. It was described by Don Hahn , Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff as...

       from The Lion King
      The Lion King
      The Lion King is a 1994 American animated film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. It is the 32nd feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series...


  • Individual performances (in order of performance):
    • Niamh: "Valerie
      Valerie (The Zutons song)
      "Valerie" is a song by the English indie rock band The Zutons from the band's second studio album, Tired of Hanging Around . Released as the album's second single on 19 June 2006 in the United Kingdom, along with their previous single "Why Won't You Give Me Your Love?", it gave The Zutons their...

      "
    • Rachel: "I'm with You"
    • Jessie: "Stop!
      Stop! (Sam Brown song)
      "Stop!" is a song by English singer Sam Brown.The single was originally released in 1988, missing the UK top forty and peaking at number fifty-two. It was not until 1989, however, that the single became a hit, when it peaked at number four on the UK Singles Chart. "Stop!" became her biggest hit to...

      "
    • Sarah: "Ironic
      Ironic (song)
      "Ironic" is a song recorded by Canadian-American singer Alanis Morissette for her third studio album Jagged Little Pill . It was written by Morissette and Glen Ballard, and was produced by him. Maverick and Warner Bros. Records released it as the album's fourth single on February 27, 1996 in CD,...

      "
    • Keisha: "I'm Outta Love
      I'm Outta Love
      "I'm Outta Love" is a song by American recording artist Anastacia from her debut album, Not That Kind . Written by Anastacia, Sam Watters, and Louis Biancaniello, the song received a positive reception from music critics, and was released as the album's lead single in early 2000 in the United...

      "
    • Ashley: "Evergreen"
    • Samantha: "Since U Been Gone
      Since U Been Gone
      "Since U Been Gone" is a song written and produced by Max Martin and Lukasz "Dr. Luke" Gottwald for American singer Kelly Clarkson. The song was released as the second single from her second album, Breakaway in the US and Australia and was released as the first single in Europe...

      "
    • Jodie: "I Have Nothing
      I Have Nothing
      "I Have Nothing" is a song by American singer Whitney Houston and released as the third single from The Bodyguard: Original Soundtrack Album on February 20, 1993 by Arista Records. The song was written by David Foster and Linda Thompson, and produced by Foster...

      "

  • Missions:
    • Nancys: Testing their physical fitness
      Physical fitness
      Physical fitness comprises two related concepts: general fitness , and specific fitness...

       by rowing
      Watercraft rowing
      Watercraft rowing is the act of propelling a boat using the motion of oars in the water. The difference between paddling and rowing is that with rowing the oars have a mechanical connection with the boat whereas with paddling the paddles are hand-held with no mechanical connection.This article...

       and teamwork
      Teamwork
      Teamwork is action performed by a team towards a common goal. A team consists of more than one person, each of whom typically has different responsibilities....

       by then racing
      Rowing (sport)
      Rowing is a sport in which athletes race against each other on rivers, on lakes or on the ocean, depending upon the type of race and the discipline. The boats are propelled by the reaction forces on the oar blades as they are pushed against the water...

       in two teams
    • Olivers: Learning stage fighting
      Stage combat
      Stage combat is a specialized technique in theatre designed to create the illusion of physical combat without causing harm to the performers. It is employed in live stage plays as well as operatic and ballet productions. The term is also used informally to describe fight choreography for other...


  • Panel's verdict on who was not Nancy:
    • John Barrowman: Keisha
    • Denise Van Outen: Ashley
    • Barry Humphries: Keisha

  • Sing-off:
    • Keisha and Niamh were in the sing-off, with Keisha having received the lowest number of viewers votes. They sang "The Rose
      The Rose (song)
      "The Rose" is a pop song written by Amanda McBroom and made famous by Bette Midler, who performed it in the 1979 movie, The Rose. Since then it has been covered by a variety of artists.-Bette Midler version:...

      " (from the film of the same name
      The Rose (film)
      The Rose is a 1979 American musical drama film which tells the story of a self-destructive 1960s rock star who struggles to cope with the constant pressures of her career and the demands of her ruthless business manager...

      ).
    • Andrew Lloyd Webber chose to save Niamh and eliminate Keisha. Before announcing his decision he said, "First, I'm going to say this is a complete and utter travesty, neither of you should be in the bottom two, it's completely wrong. I've been put into a situation that I have never wanted to be in. For the first time on a television show, I am angry." And after choosing to eliminate Keisha, he told her, "You were absolutely wonderful. I think you have a huge career ahead of you and all I can say is that I'll do anything I can to help you."

Week six (3/4 May)

Harry was announced as the sixth Oliver semi-finalist on the Saturday show and Sarah was the sixth Nancy to be eliminated in the Results show on Sunday. The Olivers voted to choose one Nancy to perform with them on the Results Show and chose Sarah. Andrew Lloyd Webber worked with each of the Nancys in the week before the show to improve their performance, focusing on their acting abilities. He also gave each Nancy a "master class" to learn the sing-off song.

The show performances and missions were:
  • Group performances:
    • Nancys and Olivers: "Who Will Buy?"
    • Olivers: "Breaking Free
      Breaking Free
      "Breaking Free" is a song from the Disney Channel Original Movie High School Musical. It also appears on the soundtrack of the same name. It is sung by Drew Seeley , Zac Efron, and Vanessa Hudgens. It was also released as a single on September 28, 2006...

      " from High School Musical
      High School Musical
      High School Musical is a 2006 American television film, first in the High School Musical film franchise. Upon its release on January 20, 2006, it became the most successful film that Disney Channel Original Movie ever produced, with a television sequel High School Musical 2 released in 2007 and...

    • Nancys: "Fings Ain't Wot They Used T'Be
      Fings Ain't Wot They Used T'Be
      Fings Ain't Wot They Used T'be is a play with music, rather than a musical. The play, by Frank Norman, himself a Cockney, has music and lyrics by Lionel Bart, who also grew up in London's East End.-Production background:...

      " from the musical of the same name
    • Sarah, Harry and the Olivers: "Together (Wherever We Go)
      Together (Wherever We Go)
      "Together " is a song, now considered a standard, with music by Jule Styne and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, written for the musical play Gypsy in 1959.-Recorded versions:*Tammy Blanchard*The Four Lads...

      " from the musical Gypsy
      Gypsy: A Musical Fable
      Gypsy is a musical with music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and a book by Arthur Laurents. Gypsy is loosely based on the 1957 memoirs of Gypsy Rose Lee, the famous striptease artist, and focuses on her mother, Rose, whose name has become synonymous with "the ultimate show business...


  • Individual performances (in order of performance), all with big band
    Big band
    A big band is a type of musical ensemble associated with jazz and the Swing Era typically consisting of rhythm, brass, and woodwind instruments totaling approximately twelve to twenty-five musicians...

     songs:
    • Jodie: "Luck Be a Lady" from Guys and Dolls
    • Sarah: "Mr. Bojangles
      Mr. Bojangles (song)
      Mr. Bojangles is the title of a song originally written and recorded by American country music artist Jerry Jeff Walker for his 1968 album of the same title...

      "
    • Rachel: "For Once in My Life
      For Once in My Life
      "For Once in My Life" is a pop song written by Ron Miller and Orlando Murden for Motown Records' Jobete publishing company in 1967 . The composition was originally recorded by Jean DuShon, while other artists, such as Tony Bennett and The Temptations, recorded slow ballad versions of the song...

      "
    • Samantha: "Sway
      Sway (song)
      "Sway" is the English version of "¿Quién será?", a 1953 mambo song by Mexican composer and bandleader Pablo Beltrán Ruiz. The most famous version is that of Dean Martin recorded in 1954. English lyrics are by Norman Gimbel...

      "
    • Niamh: "They Can't Take That Away from Me
      They Can't Take That Away from Me
      "They Can't Take That Away from Me" is a 1937 song written by George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin and introduced by Fred Astaire in the 1937 film Shall We Dance....

      "
    • Jessie: "The Man that Got Away
      The Man that Got Away
      "The Man that Got Away" is a popular song, published in 1953 and was written for the 1954 version of the movie A Star Is Born. The music was written by Harold Arlen, and the lyrics by Ira Gershwin...

      " from A Star Is Born
      A Star Is Born (1954 film)
      A Star Is Born is a 1954 American musical film directed by George Cukor. The screenplay written by Moss Hart was an adaptation of the original 1937 film, which was based on the original screenplay by Robert Carson, Dorothy Parker, and Alan Campbell...

    • Ashley: "Big Spender
      Big Spender
      "Big Spender" is a song written by Cy Coleman and Dorothy Fields for the musical Sweet Charity, first performed in 1966. It is sung, in the musical, by the dance hostess "girls"; it was choreographed by Bob Fosse for the Broadway musical and the film...

      " from Sweet Charity
      Sweet Charity
      Sweet Charity is a musical with music by Cy Coleman, lyrics by Dorothy Fields and book by Neil Simon. It was directed and choreographed for Broadway by Bob Fosse starring his wife and muse Gwen Verdon. It is based on Federico Fellini's screenplay for Nights of Cabiria...


  • Missions:
    • Nancys: Improving their acting skills acting a piece from Blood Brothers and improving their cockney accent in an East End
      East End of London
      The East End of London, also known simply as the East End, is the area of London, England, United Kingdom, east of the medieval walled City of London and north of the River Thames. Although not defined by universally accepted formal boundaries, the River Lea can be considered another boundary...

       pub with actress Barbara Windsor
      Barbara Windsor
      Barbara Ann Windsor, MBE , better known by her stage name Barbara Windsor, is an English actress. Her best known roles are in the Carry On films and as Peggy Mitchell in the BBC soap opera EastEnders....

    • Olivers: Working with the cast of High School Musical on Stage!
      High School Musical on Stage!
      High School Musical on Stage! is a musical based on the Disney Channel Original Movie High School Musical, with music and lyrics by Matthew Gerrard, Robbie Nevil, Ray and Greg Cham, Drew Seeley, Randy Petersen, Kevin Quinn, Andy Dodd, Adam Watts, Bryan Louiselle, David N. Lawrence, Faye Greenberg...

       learning how to take direction

  • Panel's verdict on who was not Nancy:
    • John Barrowman: Jodie
    • Denise Van Outen: Sarah
    • Barry Humphries: Ashley

  • Sing-off:
    • Rachel and Sarah were in the sing-off, with Rachel having received the lowest number of viewers votes. They sang "As If We Never Said Goodbye" (from the musical Sunset Boulevard
      Sunset Boulevard (musical)
      Sunset Boulevard is a musical with book and lyrics by Don Black and Christopher Hampton and music by Andrew Lloyd Webber. Based on the 1950 film of the same title, the plot revolves around Norma Desmond, a faded star of the silent screen era, living in the past in her decaying mansion on the...

      ).
    • Andrew Lloyd Webber chose to save Rachel and eliminate Sarah, saying "I have to think as a producer and I do think Rachel was rock solid, and there were moments that I did think that maybe you were a bit fragile", adding "but you were wonderful and you did exactly what I asked."

Week seven (10/11 May)

Laurence was announced as the seventh Oliver semi-finalist on the Saturday show and Ashley was the seventh Nancy to be eliminated in the Results show on Sunday. The Olivers voted to choose one Nancy to perform with them on the Results Show and chose Niamh. During the week Lloyd Webber took the Nancys to the O2 Arena
The O2 arena (London)
The O2 Arena is a multi-purpose indoor arena located in the centre of The O2, a large entertainment complex on the Greenwich peninsula in London, England.With a capacity of up to 20,000 depending on the event, it is second largest...

 to see Celine Dion
Celine Dion
Céline Marie Claudette Dion, , , is a Canadian singer. Born to a large family from Charlemagne, Quebec, Dion emerged as a teen star in the French-speaking world after her manager and future husband René Angélil mortgaged his home to finance her first record...

 in concert.

The show performances and missions were:
  • Group performances:
    • Nancys: "It's A Fine Life"
    • Olivers: "You Give a Little Love" from Bugsy Malone
      Bugsy Malone
      Bugsy Malone is a 1976 musical film, very loosely based on events in New York City in the Prohibition era, specifically the exploits of gangsters like Al Capone and Bugs Moran, as dramatized in cinema...

    • Nancys: "Nobody Does It Better
      Nobody Does It Better
      "Nobody Does It Better" is a power ballad composed by Marvin Hamlisch with lyrics by Carole Bayer Sager. It was recorded by Carly Simon as the theme song for the 1977 James Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me. It was the first Bond theme song to be titled differently from the name of the film, although...

      " from the film The Spy Who Loved Me
      The Spy Who Loved Me (film)
      The Spy Who Loved Me is a spy film, the tenth film in the James Bond series, and the third to star Roger Moore as the fictional secret agent James Bond. It was directed by Lewis Gilbert and the screenplay was written by Christopher Wood and Richard Maibaum...

    • Niamh, Laurence and the Olivers: "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
      Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (song)
      "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" is the Academy Award nominated song from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, the 1968 musical motion picture. In the film it is sung by Dick Van Dyke and Sally Ann Howes...

      " from the musical of the same name
      Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (musical)
      Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, also known as Chitty the Musical, is a stage musical based on the 1968 film produced by Cubby Broccoli. The music and lyrics were written by Richard and Robert Sherman with book by Jeremy Sams.-Productions:...

      .
    • The Battle of the Nancys – Andrew Lloyd Webber divided the Nancy's by age into two trios to perform two songs:
      • "The Girls" – Jessie, Niamh and Samantha: "Candyman
        Candyman (Christina Aguilera song)
        "Candyman" is a swing jazz song written by Christina Aguilera and Linda Perry for Aguilera's third studio album, Back to Basics. It was released as the album's third and final American single in early 2007. It received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance at 2008 Grammy...

        "
      • "The Women" – Ashley, Jodie and Rachel: "Man! I Feel Like a Woman!
        Man! I Feel like a Woman!
        "Man! I Feel Like a Woman!" is the seventh single released from Shania Twain's 1997 album Come on Over. It was written by Mutt Lange and Twain. "Man! I Feel Like a Woman!," originally released to North American country radio stations in early 1999, was the opening song on both Twain's Come on Over...

        "

  • Individual performances (in order of performance), all with songs chosen to show the different aspects of Nancy's character:
    • Jessie: "Fighter
      Fighter (song)
      "Fighter" is a song recorded by American recording artist Christina Aguilera. The song was written by Aguilera and Scott Storch, and produced by Storch for Aguilera's fourth studio album, Stripped. The song was released on June 3, 2003 as the third single. The song peaked at number twenty on the...

      "
    • Niamh: "True Colours
      True Colors (song)
      "True Colors" is a song written by songwriters Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly, additional lyrics by Cyndi Lauper. It was both the title track and the first single released from Cyndi Lauper's second album. It was the only original song on the album that Lauper did not help write...

      "
    • Ashley: "I Say a Little Prayer
      I Say a Little Prayer
      "I Say a Little Prayer" is a song written by songwriters Burt Bacharach and Hal David for Dionne Warwick, originally peaking at number four on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 pop singles chart in December 1967.-Background:...

      "
    • Samantha: "Survivor"
    • Jodie: "If I Ain't Got You
      If I Ain't Got You
      "If I Ain't Got You" is a song recorded, written, and produced by American recording artist Alicia Keys for her second studio album, The Diary of Alicia Keys. Released in February 2004 as the album's second single, the song peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100 and became Keys' second...

      "
    • Rachel: "You've Got a Friend
      You've Got a Friend
      "You've Got a Friend" is a song from 1971, originally written and performed by Carole King. It was included in her album Tapestry of 1971, but was made famous by James Taylor's cover version the same year...

      "

  • Missions:
    • Nancys: James Bond
      James Bond
      James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...

       style mission with John Barrowman, learning theatrical stunt
      Stunt
      A stunt is an unusual and difficult physical feat, or any act requiring a special skill, performed for artistic purposes in TV, theatre, or cinema...

      s.
    • Olivers: Visited the Ragged School Museum
      Ragged School Museum
      The Ragged School Museum is a museum in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. The museum was opened in 1990, in the premises of the former Dr Barnardo's Copperfield Road Ragged School. The school opened in 1877 to serve the children of Mile End with a basic education...

       to learn how strict conditions were in workhouse
      Workhouse
      In England and Wales a workhouse, colloquially known as a spike, was a place where those unable to support themselves were offered accommodation and employment...

      s and worked with actor Todd Carty
      Todd Carty
      Todd Carty is an Irish actor and director, who has grown up on television screens in a variety of roles. His stage work has varied from pantomime to serious drama, as well as radio plays, voiceovers, commercials, narrations, and films...

       learning the famous Oliver line, "Please Sir, I want some more."

  • Panel's verdict on who was not Nancy:
    • John Barrowman: Jessie
    • Denise Van Outen: Ashley
    • Barry Humphries: Rachel

  • Sing-off:
    • Ashley and Niamh were in the sing-off, with Ashley having received the lowest number of viewers votes. They sang "Don't Cry for Me, Argentina
      Don't Cry for Me, Argentina
      "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" is a song from the 1978 musical Evita with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice. Sung by the title character Eva Perón, it was titled “It's Only Your Lover Returning” before Rice settled on the eventual name...

      " from the musical Evita.
    • Andrew Lloyd Webber chose to save Niamh and eliminate Ashley saying, "I've said Niamh is a little young for this, and I was very hard on you, Ashley," then saying "In the end, I've got to save Niamh." To Ashley he said, "I do want to say that you are a fantastic talent, but you don't communicate it on stage," adding that he would love to work with her one day, and that her drama students "should be very proud."

Week eight (17/18 May)

Week eight was the quarter-final stage of the series. Jonny was announced as the eighth and last Oliver semi-finalist on the Saturday show with Gareth, Jordan, Joseph and Sam leaving after the Saturday show. Niamh was the eighth Nancy to be eliminated in the Results show on Sunday.

The Nancys were joined by five of the finalists from Any Dream Will Do
Any Dream Will Do (TV series)
Any Dream Will Do, often known as 'Joseph', was a 2007 talent show-themed television series produced by the BBC in the United Kingdom. It searched for a new, unknown lead to play Joseph in a West End revival of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.The show...

 - Daniel Boys
Daniel Boys
Daniel Boys is a British musical theatre actor, best known as a contestant on the BBC talent series Any Dream Will Do in 2007.-Acting Career:...

, Lewis Bradley
Lewis Bradley
Lewis Bradley is a British musical theatre actor, who came third place in the BBC reality talent show Any Dream Will Do. He was later chosen by Andrew Lloyd Webber to understudy the winning role of Joseph....

, Ben James-Ellis
Ben James-Ellis
Benjamin James Ellis is an English stage actor who starred in the role of Link Larkin in the West End production of the musical Hairspray from its opening in October 2007 until July 2009...

, Keith Jack
Keith Jack
Keith Jack was the runner-up on the BBC reality talent show Any Dream Will Do, which offered the chance to be the next West End Joseph for the hit musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice...

 and Rob McVeigh
Rob McVeigh
Robert "Rob" McVeigh, born 28 April 1983, is a singer from Rotherham, United Kingdom. A builder by trade, McVeigh also has a National Diploma in Performing Arts from Rotherham College of Arts and Technology...

 to perform a group number. They were paired up: Rachel and Daniel; Jodie and Lewis; Jessie and Rob; Samantha and Ben; Niamh and Keith.

The show performances and missions were:
  • Group performances:
    • Nancys and Olivers: "Consider Yourself
      Consider Yourself
      "Consider Yourself" is a song from the 1960s original West End and Broadway musical Oliver! and the 1968 film of the same name. In the 1968 Oliver! film, it is performed in the market.-In popular culture:...

      "
    • Gareth, Jordan, Joseph, Sam and the Olivers: "Reach
      Reach (S Club 7 song)
      "Reach" is a song by S Club 7, released as a single on 22 May 2000. "Reach" is an up-tempo track co-written by Cathy Dennis and Andrew Todd .. The lyrics were probably inspired by a Shirley Bassey double A-side of "Reach For The Stars" and "Climb Every Mountain" although the song itself sounds...

      "
    • Josephs and Nancys: "Dancing in the Street
      Dancing in the Street
      "Dancing in the Street" is a 1964 song first recorded by Martha and the Vandellas. It is one of Motown's signature songs and is the group's premier signature song.-Martha and the Vandellas original:...

      "
    • Jonny and the rest of the Oliver semi-finalists: "I Have a Dream"
    • Nancys: "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair" from the musical South Pacific
      South Pacific (musical)
      South Pacific is a musical with music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II and book by Hammerstein and Joshua Logan. The story draws from James A. Michener's Pulitzer Prize-winning 1947 book Tales of the South Pacific, weaving together characters and elements from several of its...


  • Individual performances (in order of performance), all with songs chosen by each of the finalists to show they can be Nancy:
    • Jodie: "Holding Out for a Hero
      Holding Out for a Hero
      "Holding Out for a Hero" is a song written by Jim Steinman and Dean Pitchford, originally recorded by Bonnie Tyler. It was released in 1984 on the soundtrack to the film Footloose. It later appeared on Tyler's Secret Dreams and Forbidden Fire album. It hit #96 for the first time in UK in 1984,...

      "
    • Rachel: "I Will Always Love You
      I Will Always Love You
      "I Will Always Love You" is a song written by American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton in 1973, who first released the song as a single in 1974.-Dolly Parton version:...

      "
    • Samantha: "Defying Gravity
      Defying Gravity (song)
      "Defying Gravity" is the signature song from the musical Wicked, composed by Stephen Schwartz, originally recorded by Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth on November 10, 2003, and released on December 16, 2003...

      " from the musical Wicked
      Wicked (musical)
      Wicked is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Winnie Holzman. It is based on the Gregory Maguire novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West , a parallel novel of the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz and L. Frank Baum's classic story The Wonderful Wizard...

    • Jessie: "How Do I Live
      How Do I Live
      "How Do I Live" is the title of a song written by Diane Warren. It was originally recorded by LeAnn Rimes in 1997 and shortly afterward by Trisha Yearwood...

      "
    • Niamh: "Don't Speak
      Don't Speak
      "Don't Speak" is a song by the American rock band No Doubt. It was released in 1996 as the third single from the band's third studio album, Tragic Kingdom...

      "

  • Missions:
    • Nancys: Learning a comedy
      Stand-up comedy
      Stand-up comedy is a comedic art form. Usually, a comedian performs in front of a live audience, speaking directly to them. Their performances are sometimes filmed for later release via DVD, the internet, and television...

       routine from Life Coach with comedian
      Comedian
      A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...

       Phill Jupitus
      Phill Jupitus
      Phillip Christopher Jupitus is an English stand-up and improvised comedian, actor, performance poet, musician and podcaster....

       and Life Coach creator, Nick Reed.
    • Olivers: Learning the scene from Oliver! where Oliver first meets the Artful Dodger with actor Daniel Barber (Gavroche in Les Misérables
      Les Misérables (musical)
      Les Misérables , colloquially known as Les Mis or Les Miz , is a musical by Claude-Michel Schönberg, based on the novel of the same name by Victor Hugo....

      ).

  • Panel's verdict on who was not Nancy:
    • John Barrowman: Jessie
    • Denise Van Outen: Niamh
    • Barry Humphries: Niamh

  • Sing-off:
    • Niamh and Rachel were in the sing-off, with Niamh having received the lowest number of viewers votes. They sang "Another Suitcase in Another Hall
      Another Suitcase in Another Hall
      "Another Suitcase in Another Hall" is a song from the musical Evita with lyrics by Tim Rice and music by Andrew Lloyd Webber. The song was first a hit in the UK for Barbara Dickson in 1977...

      " from the musical Evita.
    • Andrew Lloyd Webber chose to save Rachel and eliminate Niamh saying, "Niamh, if I was casting Evita, I would seriously think of you for that role," adding, "Rachel I thought you handled it well, you warmed into the song." Of Niamh he said, "your voice just needs time to mature and I wouldn't be surprised if you weren't up for a major leading role when you're twenty."

Week nine (24/25 May)

Week nine was the semi-final stage of the series. On 23 May the BBC announced that Cameron Mackintosh would be joining the panel for the semi-final to give his opinion on the four remaining Nancys and to announce, with Lloyd Webber, which three boys they chose as Oliver and that he would also be on the panel for the Grand-final. The four Nancys also appeared on The Paul O'Grady Show
The Paul O'Grady Show
The Paul O'Grady Show was a BAFTA award-winning British comedy chat show hosted by Birkenhead-born comedian Paul O'Grady. The format was originally devised by Granada Television and was broadcast on ITV before moving to Channel 4...

 on Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...

 singing "Oom-Pah-Pah".

Gwion, Harry and Laurence were announced as the three winning Olivers on the Saturday show with Lloyd Webber saying, "Cameron and I agree we have three very different Olivers, but I think it's a great result and I think whichever Oliver you go and see you're going to get a fantastic performance." And Mackintosh adding, "The talent we have unearthed has been terrific."

Rachel was the ninth Nancy to be eliminated on the Results show on Sunday - the last time Lloyd Webber has any say in the vote. Cameron Mackintosh confirmed that Rowan Atkinson
Rowan Atkinson
Rowan Sebastian Atkinson is a British actor, comedian, and screenwriter. He is most famous for his work on the satirical sketch comedy show Not The Nine O'Clock News, and the sitcoms Blackadder, Mr. Bean and The Thin Blue Line...

 will be performing the part of Fagin
Fagin
Fagin is a fictional character who appears as an antagonist of the Charles Dickens novel Oliver Twist, referred to in the preface of the novel as a "receiver of stolen goods", but referred to more frequently within the actual story as the "merry old gentleman" or simply the "Jew".-Character:Born...

 in the stage show. The four remaining Nancys were divided into pairs, The Northern
Northern England
Northern England, also known as the North of England, the North or the North Country, is a cultural region of England. It is not an official government region, but rather an informal amalgamation of counties. The southern extent of the region is roughly the River Trent, while the North is bordered...

 Nancys and the Celtic
Celtic nations
The Celtic nations are territories in North-West Europe in which that area's own Celtic languages and some cultural traits have survived.The term "nation" is used in its original sense to mean a people who share a common traditional identity and culture and are identified with a traditional...

 Nancys for two group performances.

The show performances and missions were:
  • Group performances:
    • Nancys and Olivers: "Food, Glorious Food"
    • The Northern Nancys (Jodie and Samantha): "Superstar
      Superstar (Jesus Christ Superstar song)
      "Superstar" is the title song from the 1970 rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar written by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice. It was released as a single in 1969, before the album was completed. Sung by Murray Head with the Trinidad Singers, it reached number 78 on first release. Murray Head reached...

       " from the rock opera
      Rock opera
      A rock opera is a work of rock music that presents a storyline told over multiple parts, songs or sections in the manner of opera. A rock opera differs from a conventional rock album, which usually includes songs that are not unified by a common theme or narrative. More recent developments include...

       Jesus Christ Superstar
      Jesus Christ Superstar
      Jesus Christ Superstar is a rock opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber, with lyrics by Tim Rice. The musical started off as a rock opera concept recording before its first staging on Broadway in 1971...

    • Olivers: "Tomorrow" from the musical Annie
      Annie (musical)
      Annie is a Broadway musical based upon the popular Harold Gray comic strip Little Orphan Annie, with music by Charles Strouse, lyrics by Martin Charnin, and the book by Thomas Meehan. The original Broadway production opened in 1977 and ran for nearly six years with a blonde Annie as the poster...

    • The Celtic Nancys (Jessie and Rachel): "Buenos Aires" from the musical Evita
    • Alexander, Arthur, Chester, Jonny and Kwayedza: "No Matter What
      No Matter What (Boyzone song)
      "No Matter What" is a song from the 1996 musical Whistle Down the Wind, written by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Jim Steinman and popularized by the group Boyzone. The song reached #1 on the UK Singles Chart, and was the only Boyzone hit to become popular in the U.S. Jewels & Stone did a remix for the...

      " from the musical Whistle Down the Wind
      Whistle Down the Wind (musical)
      Whistle Down the Wind is a musical based on the 1961 film Whistle Down the Wind with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Jim Steinman, known for his work with Meat Loaf and Bonnie Tyler.-Stage Premiere:...

    • Nancys: "A Hard Day's Night
      A Hard Day's Night (song)
      "A Hard Day's Night" is a song by the English rock band The Beatles. Written by John Lennon, and credited to Lennon–McCartney, it was released on the movie soundtrack of the same name in 1964...

      " from the Beatles' film of the same name
      A Hard Day's Night (film)
      A Hard Day's Night is a 1964 British black-and-white comedy film directed by Richard Lester and starring The Beatles—John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr—during the height of Beatlemania. It was written by Alun Owen and originally released by United Artists...

    • Gwion, Harry and Laurence: "Where is Love?
      Where Is Love?
      "Where is Love?" is a song from the Tony Award-winning British musical Oliver!, and the 1968 film Oliver! based on the novel Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens...

      "

  • Individual performances (in order of performance) with the entire judging panel shown discussing each of the Nancys performances throughout the series in the week leading up to the show, before each performance:
    • Rachel: "Cabaret" from the musical of the same name
      Cabaret (musical)
      Cabaret is a musical based on a book written by Christopher Isherwood, music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb. The 1966 Broadway production became a hit and spawned a 1972 film as well as numerous subsequent productions....

    • Jessie: "What I Did for Love" from the musical A Chorus Line
      A Chorus Line
      A Chorus Line is a 1975 musical about Broadway dancers auditioning for spots on a chorus line. The book was authored by James Kirkwood, Jr. and Nicholas Dante, lyrics were written by Edward Kleban, and music was composed by Marvin Hamlisch....

    • Samantha: "When You Believe
      When You Believe
      "When You Believe" is an Academy Award-winning song by American recording artists Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston. The song was written and composed by Stephen Schwartz for the 1998 DreamWorks animated feature The Prince of Egypt. A version of "When You Believe" was produced as a single with...

      " from the film The Prince of Egypt
      The Prince of Egypt
      The Prince of Egypt is a 1998 American animated musical drama film and the first traditionally animated film produced and released by DreamWorks Animation. The film is an adaptation of the Book of Exodus and follows the life of Moses from being a prince of Egypt to his ultimate destiny to lead the...

    • Jodie: "Out Here on My Own
      Fame (soundtrack)
      Fame is the original soundtrack of the 1980 Academy Award- and Golden Globe-winning film Fame starring Irene Cara, Lee Curreri, Paul McCrane and Laura Dean. The original score was composed by Michael Gore....

      " from the musical film
      Musical film
      The musical film is a film genre in which songs sung by the characters are interwoven into the narrative, sometimes accompanied by dancing. The songs usually advance the plot or develop the film's characters, though in some cases they serve merely as breaks in the storyline, often as elaborate...

       Fame

  • Missions:
    • Nancys: A character building "Stepping back in time" task getting to grips with what life was like for Nancys spending time in an authentic Victorian home and speaking Nancy's love ballad, "As Long as He Needs Me
      As Long as He Needs Me
      As Long as He Needs Me is a torch song sung by the character of Nancy in the musical film Oliver!, introduced in the 1960 musical. It is a love ballad about her criminal boyfriend Bill Sikes...

      " in front of Barry Humphries.
    • Olivers: Performing as Oliver in a West End theatre singing "Where is Love?
      Where Is Love?
      "Where is Love?" is a song from the Tony Award-winning British musical Oliver!, and the 1968 film Oliver! based on the novel Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens...

      " with advice from actor Jon Lee.

  • Panel's verdict on who was not Nancy:
    • John Barrowman: Jessie
    • Denise Van Outen: Jessie
    • Barry Humphries: Jodie
    • Cameron Mackintosh: Jodie

  • Sing-off:
    • Rachel and Samantha were in the sing-off, with Samantha having received the lowest number of viewers votes. They sang "Memory" from the musical Cats
      Cats (musical)
      Cats is a musical composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber, based on Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T. S. Eliot...

      .
    • Andrew Lloyd Webber chose to save Samantha and eliminate Rachel saying, "Last night Cameron and I were both saying that we thought both of you would be fantastic Nancys and now here am I faced with this. But I've got to make a decision and I've got to think of where the show ultimately for Cameron is going to go and I think I have to go with you Samantha.


In the week following the show, it was claimed that Andrew Lloyd Webber and Cameron Mackintosh had fallen out over Lloyd Webber's decision to eliminate Rachel Tucker who Mackintosh had wanted to see in the final. Lloyd Webber said, "The fact is Cameron wanted Rachel to stay. He wanted Rachel and Samantha in the final from the beginning of the series. Rachel did a fantastic performance but I had to face up to the fact that she wouldn't have gone any further. What I may think professionally is sometimes different to what the public want. I saved Rachel three times and she still ended up in the bottom two."

In the week the semi-final aired, the four semi-finalists did a photoshoot for Now magazine recreating some of Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...

's iconic images. Jodie posed in a wedding dress
Wedding dress
A wedding dress or wedding gown is the clothing worn by a bride during a wedding ceremony. Color, style and ceremonial importance of the gown can depend on the religion and culture of the wedding participants.- Western culture :...

 to recreate the cover of the album Like a Virgin
Like a Virgin
Like a Virgin is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter Madonna, released on November 12, 1984 by Sire Records. It was re-released worldwide in 1985, with the inclusion of the bonus track "Into the Groove". In 2001, Warner Bros. Records released a remastered version with two bonus...

; Jessie copied a pose, wearing a black dress, from the music video for the song Like a Prayer
Like a Prayer (song)
"Like a Prayer" is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna on her fourth studio album of the same name . It was released on March 21, 1989, by Sire Records as the album's lead single...

, Samantha was dressed in hotpants
Shorts
Shorts are a bifurcated garment worn by both men and women over their pelvic area, circling the waist, and covering the upper part of the legs, sometimes extending down to or even below the knee, but not covering the entire length of the leg. They are called "shorts" because they are a shortened...

 copying the pose from the cover of the 2008 album, Hard Candy
Hard Candy (Madonna album)
Hard Candy is the eleventh studio album by American singer-songwriter Madonna, released on April 19, 2008, by Warner Bros. Records. It was her final studio album with the record company, marking the end of a 25 year recording history. Madonna started working on the album in 2007, and collaborated...

 and Rachel posed in a cowboy hat, recreating the cover of the album Music
Music (Madonna album)
Music is the eighth studio album by American singer-songwriter Madonna, released on September 19, 2000 by Maverick Records and distributed by Warner Bros. Records...

.

Week ten (31 May)

Week ten was the final week of the show and the Grand-final when the winning Nancy was revealed. Both shows aired live on Saturday with the main show starting at 6:00pm and the Results show at 8:45pm. The finalists were Jessie Buckley
Jessie Buckley
Jessie Buckley is an Irish singer and actress who came second place in the BBC talent show-themed television series I'd Do Anything, and subsequently played Anne Egermann in the West End revival of Stephen Sondheim's A Little Night Music.-Background:The eldest of five children, Buckley comes from...

, Jodie Prenger
Jodie Prenger
Jodie Prenger is an English actress and singer. She was the winner of BBC talent show-themed television series I'd Do Anything on 31 May 2008. She was also the winner of the second series of The Biggest Loser on Living in 2006...

 and Samantha Barks
Samantha Barks
Samantha Barks is a professional singer and actress who came third in the BBC talent show-themed television series I'd Do Anything in 2008.-Background:Samantha was born and brought up on the Isle of Man...

. Jodie was the winner.

On 30 May, Andrew Lloyd Webber revealed that Cameron Mackintosh was concerned about Jodie Prenger's "curvaceous figure" saying, "Cameron thinks she is a bit too big and has more or less said so". However, Webber defended Prenger, saying that she had both the vocal talents and personality for the role, saying "Jodie could be anybody's idea of Nancy - I can see it absolutely. She has got a lovely voice and a super personality. She has experience as well."

Also on 30 May, the BBC announced how voting would work in the final. With all the decisions now being from the public vote, the voting lines opened at the start of Show One. At the end of Show One, the finalist with the lowest number of viewers votes, Samantha was eliminated and therefore finished third. The voting lines then re-opened to vote for the series winner, with all the votes cast for the remaining two Nancys carried over. Then in Show Two the final two Nancys went head-to-head before the winner was announced as Jodie.

The three finalists were taken to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...

 in the week leading up to the show. In London they met and had a "Master Class" with Liza Minnelli
Liza Minnelli
Liza May Minnelli is an American actress and singer. She is the daughter of singer and actress Judy Garland and film director Vincente Minnelli....

. All twelve Nancy finalists and all twelve Oliver finalists also performed. Lee Mead
Lee Mead
Lee Stephen Mead is an English musical theatre actor, best known for winning the title role in the 2007 West End revival of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat through the BBC reality TV casting show Any Dream Will Do...

 also performed on Show One. In Show two both Jessie and Jodie performed Nancy's love ballad "As Long as He Needs Me
As Long as He Needs Me
As Long as He Needs Me is a torch song sung by the character of Nancy in the musical film Oliver!, introduced in the 1960 musical. It is a love ballad about her criminal boyfriend Bill Sikes...

".

The show performances were:
  • Group performances:
    • Nancys and Olivers*: "I'd Do Anything
      I'd Do Anything (song)
      "I'd Do Anything" is a song performed by various characters in the 1960 British musical Oliver! and the 1968 film of the same name.-Song:...

      " *(all twelve Nancy and all twelve Oliver finalists)
    • Laurence and Jodie: "Getting to Know You
      Getting to Know You (song)
      "Getting to Know You" is a show tune from the 1951 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The King and I. It was first sung by Gertrude Lawrence in the original Broadway production and later by Marni Nixon who dubbed for Deborah Kerr in the 1956 film adaptation...

      " from the musical The King and I
      The King and I
      The King and I is a stage musical, the fifth by the team of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. The work is based on the 1944 novel Anna and the King of Siam by Margaret Landon and derives from the memoirs of Anna Leonowens, who became governess to the children of King Mongkut of Siam in...

    • Harry and Samantha: "Singin' in the Rain
      Singin' in the Rain (song)
      "Singin' In the Rain" is a song with lyrics by Arthur Freed and music by Nacio Herb Brown, published in 1929. However, it is unclear exactly when the song was written with some claiming that the song was written and performed as early as 1927. The song was listed as Number 3 on AFI's 100 Years.....

      " from the film Singin' in the Rain
      Singin' in the Rain
      Singin' in the Rain is a 1952 American comedy musical film starring Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor and Debbie Reynolds and directed by Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen, with Kelly also providing the choreography...

    • Gwion and Jessie: "Truly Scrumptious
      Truly Scrumptious (song)
      "Truly Scrumptious" is a song performed in the 2002/2005 stage musical Chitty Chitty Bang Bang as well as the original, 1968 motion picture. The song was written by Robert B. Sherman & Richard M. Sherman. It is about the lead female character, Truly....

      " from the musical Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
      Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (musical)
      Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, also known as Chitty the Musical, is a stage musical based on the 1968 film produced by Cubby Broccoli. The music and lyrics were written by Richard and Robert Sherman with book by Jeremy Sams.-Productions:...

    • Jessie, Jodie and Samantha "Maybe This Time" from the film Cabaret
      Cabaret (film)
      Cabaret is a 1972 musical film directed by Bob Fosse and starring Liza Minnelli, Michael York and Joel Grey. The film is set in Berlin during the Weimar Republic in 1931, under the ominous presence of the growing National Socialist Party....

    • Lee Mead and the Olivers "Any Dream Will Do
      Any Dream Will Do (song)
      "Any Dream Will Do" is a popular song written by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice for the 1968 musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat...

       from the musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
      Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
      Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical with lyrics by Tim Rice. The story is based on the "coat of many colors" story of Joseph from the Hebrew Bible's Book of Genesis. This was the first Lloyd Webber and Rice musical to be performed publicly...

    • Former Olivers and Nancys: "Never Forget"

  • Individual performances (in order of performance) The first three songs were chosen as "emotional showstoppers":
    • Show one
      • Jodie: "Son of a Preacher Man
        Son of a Preacher Man
        "Son of a Preacher Man" is a song recorded by Dusty Springfield in September 1968 and featured on the album, Dusty in Memphis. It was written by John Hurley and Ronnie Wilkins. The rights to cover "Son of a Preacher Man" were originally offered to Aretha Franklin, who turned it down...

        "
      • Samantha: "Anyone Who Had a Heart"
      • Jessie: "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
        The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
        "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" is a 1957 folk song written by British political singer/songwriter Ewan MacColl for Peggy Seeger, who was later to become his wife. At the time the couple were lovers, although MacColl was married to someone else. MacColl and Seeger included the song in their...

        "
    • Show two
      • Jodie: "As Long as He Needs Me"
      • Jessie: "As Long as He Needs Me"
      • Jodie "I Have Nothing"
      • Jessie "The Man That Got Away"

  • Show One third place
    • At the end of Show one, Samantha was announced as finishing third with Andrew Lloyd Webber saying, "Do you know what, I did think this would happen. But you've done so well to have got this far Samantha."

  • Judges' verdicts on who was Nancy:
    • John Barrowman: Jodie
    • Denise Van Outen: Jodie
    • Barry Humphries: Jessie
    • Cameron Mackintosh: Jessie
    • Andrew Lloyd Webber: Jessie

  • The Final Vote

The final vote was then announced and it was revealed that the winner was Jodie Prenger with Andrew Lloyd Webber saying, "The people's Nancy. Jodie was always going to be the people's choice." Cameron Mackintosh added, 'I'm thrilled for Jodie, congratulations!'

Reception

In March 2008, the BBC drew criticism from American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 actor, Kevin Spacey
Kevin Spacey
Kevin Spacey, CBE is an American actor, director, screenwriter, producer, and crooner. He grew up in California, and began his career as a stage actor during the 1980s, before being cast in supporting roles in film and television...

, the artistic director of the Old Vic
Old Vic
The Old Vic is a theatre located just south-east of Waterloo Station in London on the corner of The Cut and Waterloo Road. Established in 1818 as the Royal Coburg Theatre, it was taken over by Emma Cons in 1880 when it was known formally as the Royal Victoria Hall. In 1898, a niece of Cons, Lilian...

 Theatre Company for airing shows such as I'd Do Anything and Any Dream Will Do
Any Dream Will Do (TV series)
Any Dream Will Do, often known as 'Joseph', was a 2007 talent show-themed television series produced by the BBC in the United Kingdom. It searched for a new, unknown lead to play Joseph in a West End revival of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.The show...

 which he claimed were distorting the theatre market in favour of musicals instead of straight plays. Spacey said, "I felt that was essentially a 13-week promotion for a musical - where's our 13-week programme?" and that he thought the BBC's talent shows were "crossing the line" and "unfair". The BBC responded that it "always reflected" other West End shows in its talent programmes. Adding that the shows were not unduly promotional and that the shows "celebrate musical theatre generally, not just one West End show". They also pointed out that the BBC had no commercial interest in the West End productions of Oliver!, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical with lyrics by Tim Rice. The story is based on the "coat of many colors" story of Joseph from the Hebrew Bible's Book of Genesis. This was the first Lloyd Webber and Rice musical to be performed publicly...

 or The Sound Of Music
The Sound of Music
The Sound of Music is a musical by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II and a book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. It is based on the memoir of Maria von Trapp, The Story of the Trapp Family Singers...

.

Spacey's comments were criticised by Simon Cowell
Simon Cowell
Simon Phillip Cowell is an English A&R executive, television producer, entrepreneur, and television personality. He is known in the United Kingdom and United States for his role as a talent judge on TV shows such as Pop Idol, The X Factor, Britain's Got Talent and American Idol...

 who stated, "It sounds like Russia in the Sixties, that mentality. I don't think that applies to the modern world. What the BBC does is very good for the West End because it reminds millions of people what the West End is all about – they're going to sell a lot of tickets off the back of that."
On 19 April it was revealed that Spacey had apologised to Andrew Lloyd Webber for his comments.

On 31 May 2008 it was revealed that the show regularly received over 6 million viewers. The first programme of the series which aired on 15 March, before the first live shows two weeks later, was watched by 5.5 million viewers, 24.2% of the total audience, in what the Entertainment and Media website Digital Spy
Digital Spy
Digital Spy is a British entertainment and media news website. According to Alexa Internet traffic statistics, as of February 2011, Digital Spy is the 93rd most popular website in the United Kingdom, with an overall Alexa ranking of 2,088....

 described as "a weak debut".

After the week five shows it was revealed that the Saturday show was watched by 5.6 million viewers, 27% of the total audience, which although 0.5 million down on the previous week, was still 200,000 above the slot average. This was slightly ahead of the third episode of All Star Mr and Mrs, on ITV1
ITV1
ITV1 is a generic brand that is used by twelve franchises of the British ITV Network in the English regions, Wales, southern Scotland , the Isle of Man and the Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey. The ITV1 brand was introduced by Carlton and Granada in 2001, alongside the regional identities of their...

 which had 5.2 million viewers (25.2%).

The final shows on 31 May were shown on the same night as the finals of the second series of Britain's Got Talent
Britain's Got Talent
Britain's Got Talent is a British television talent show competition which started in June 2007 and originated from the Got Talent series. The show is produced by FremantleMedia's TalkbackThames and Simon Cowell's production company SYCOtv. The show is broadcast on ITV in Britain and TV3 in Ireland...

 on ITV1
ITV1
ITV1 is a generic brand that is used by twelve franchises of the British ITV Network in the English regions, Wales, southern Scotland , the Isle of Man and the Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey. The ITV1 brand was introduced by Carlton and Granada in 2001, alongside the regional identities of their...

 although the shows did not clash directly apart from a short period toward the end of Show one of I'd Do Anything. The total number of viewers for both shows was given as 20 million.

Format future

In September 2008, Lloyd Webber announced that he would not be returning to the BBC in 2009 for another series as he wished to concentrate his efforts on his latest musical. He would, however, be returning to BBC screens in 2010 with a brand new search to find a new Dorothy
Dorothy Gale
Dorothy Gale is the protagonist of many of the Oz novels by American author L. Frank Baum, and the best friend of Oz's ruler Princess Ozma. Dorothy first appears in Baum's classic children's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and reappears in most of its sequels...

 for The Wizard of Oz, to which his company, The Really Useful Group, recently acquired the rights.

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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