Jazz hands at the ready - All Star Musicals is about to add razzle-dazzle to our weekend.
Behind the curtain, six celebrities are waiting for their cues, with knocking knees, before they sing, dance and act in front of a live theatre audience and expert judging panel.
EastEnders star Jacqueline Jossa, wildlife presenter Michaela Strachan and Good Morning Britain’s Alex Beresford will join Coronation Street ’s Lisa George, James Bond actor Colin Salmon and rugby star Danny Care on stage.
Watching and critiquing every move will be theatrical icon Elaine Paige, Les Miserables actress Samantha Barks and Aladdin star Trevor Dion Nicholas.
They’ll open the show by joining host John Barrowman for a special rendition of Grease on a night that also features a 35th-anniversary performance from the stars of The Phantom of the Opera.
Here, the celebrities and judges spill all about family begging them to stop singing, the intricacies of wearing a jockstrap and why swimming with sharks was easy compared to singing on stage.
THE JUNGLE QUEEN
EastEnders and I’m a Celebrity star Jacqueline Jossa loves singing in front of her two daughters, seven-year-old Ella and Mia, three, and husband ex TOWIE star Dan Osbourne. But doing it on stage was vastly different.
Jacqueline, 29, says: “I haven’t done much live stuff. In EastEnders, if you mess up, you can go again. And then in the I’m A Celebrity jungle I was just being myself and I found that quite natural.
“I realised about 20 minutes before going on stage, ‘Oh, this is the first time - apart from a karaoke session, a little bit drunk with my pals - I’ve actually sung a whole song on my own in front of a live audience’. I started panicking a little bit then. Stupid idea, really. And it was really scary.
“My harshest critics are my daughters, genuinely. They’re very, very honest with me. If I’m singing around the house, I get told to shut up quite a lot.”
She adds: “I’ve always loved musicals. I’m a musical geek. My favourite thing to do is to go and watch a musical, so to get a chance to be on the other side of that, to do something a bit different, push myself a little bit, it was a no brainer, really.”
She admits she was helped a lot throughout the show
“I got loads of advice I have kept with me. Some of the things I was taught by Samantha Barks - I’m like her biggest fan anyway, so it was a bit crazy to even meet her. Then to sing in front of her and get advice from her, I’ve definitely locked it away in my little toolbox for the future.
“And we were so lucky to work with [the coaches]. It did unlock a new part of my voice I didn’t even know I had - a new confidence. And I really enjoyed it.”
And while she can’t reveal her performance song she admits she wanted to do something from Les Miserables - in fact as a character her mentor has played. She says: “This is a song I’ve never sung before and never would have attempted to sing. No thank you. It’s not me at all. I had hopes and dreams; I really wanted to do a different song. I was hoping for a bit of, you know, Eponine or something because it’s something I know well and I enjoy.
“It definitely took me out of my comfort zone. I felt a lot more comfortable singing other songs but I guess that was the challenge of it. They wanted each of us to have our own challenges, and not make it easy for us. And that definitely worked; I think we were more proud in the end because of it.
“Nans, grandads, four-year-olds - every age knows this song. It’s probably the biggest song a Disney Princess has ever sung.”
Her family, however, nearly did not get to go along to watch. She adds: “I actually prefer not to have people but you can’t not in something like this. I think it’s selfish not to let my kids come and watch, and my mum and dad. They always get first dibs when I do something like this, because it’s been a dream of mine for my whole life. So if this is all I get to do, I want them there. They absolutely loved watching and my little girls sat through the whole thing and they honestly loved everyone’s performance. They were so excited to be there. They just loved it. And Ella was like ‘I might be on telly because the camera came our way’.”
THE WEATHERMAN
Alex Beresford, who is Good Morning Britain’s weather forecaster, had a disastrous audition for All Star Musicals.
Alex, 41, says: “My palms were like sweating and I was trying to make my voice not shake. I thought my singing in the shower might be good enough for the people on stage, but I wasn’t quite sure.
“When I got to the side of the stage, all the words of my song went from my head. I couldn’t remember the first word then I skipped the whole verse and went to another verse and I was like, ‘Oh my God, what’s happening?’
“In the end they made me wear a jockstrap because there’s a lot of jumping around in light-coloured trousers, and that was the first time I’d ever worn anything like that. By the time I finished my performance it was quite uncomfortable.
“But if they need me on broadway in America I’m not gonna say no.”
THE WILDLIFE CHAMPION
Wildlife presenter Michaela Strachan lives in Cape Town, South Africa, with her partner Nick Chevallier and their 16-year-old son Oliver. She found trying to impress theatre icons more terrifying than working closely with wild predators.
Michaela, 55, says: “Singing live was scarier than swimming with sharks - that was easy. As soon as I struck my pose and the music started my left leg started to shake and I lost control of it and I just thought, ‘Oh God, no’. But it was more pleasant than appearing in my swimsuit and diving 7.5 metres on Splash.
“Rather stupidly I mentioned I used to be able to do tap dance when I was 17. Now I’m 55 and tap dance around my kitchen. And actually, my 16-year-old son, who’s no holds barred with his criticism, was actually a little bit impressed by my tapping.
“But on stage, I got so nervous that when John Barrowman came to talk to me afterwards, my lips were stuck to my teeth.”
THE OTHER CELEBRITIES
Lisa George, 49, who played Beth Tinker in Coronation Street, says: “All Star Musicals is a dream for me, both professionally and personally. The team have been so supportive and nurturing and I can’t wait to take to the stage.”
Actor Colin Salmon, 59, who has appeared in three James Bond films, says: “Who knew it would be so much fun learning to master the Master.”
England and Harlequins rugby star Danny Care, 35, says: “I’m really excited to be doing something completely out of my comfort zone. I’ve always dreamt of performing in a musical and having the chance to work with so many talented people as part of the process has been amazing.”
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THE HOST AND MENTORS
Scots-born John Barrowman, 55, was a leading man in West End and Broadway musical theatre shows before landing television acting roles in TV hits such as Dr Who.
“All Star Musicals is going to be a roller-coaster whirlwind ride of big performances, subtle performances and all of them entail singing, dancing and acting. We get to see who is a real triple threat in this show and some who are only a double threat.”
Ever since her breakout West End role as Evita in 1978, Elaine Paige, 74, has enjoyed a reputation as a musical theatre icon. The London born singer and actress is also a Radio 2 presenter.
“I think there’s a few surprises in this programme, from a weatherman and a rugby player to a Bond film star and a wildlife presenter. We certainly tick a wide range of boxes to bring the viewers this spectacular 90 mins of entertainment.
“Let’s just say it’s anyone’s show to win. It’s great family entertainment and we all need more of that!”
Samantha Barks, 31, knows just what the celebrities are going through as she’s remembered for coming third in the 2008 BBC musical theatre competition I’d Do Anything. Samantha, from the Isle of Man, went on to win wide acclaim for her role as Eponine in the film version of the musical Les Miserables.
“This series is going to be amazing. It’s pure theatre celebration.
“Someone is singing something from Frozen so that was really cool for me because obviously, the show is very close to my heart. I do this every night so I’ve got many thoughts to share.
“I am so proud of Jacqueline, she came such a long way from when I first met her to her final performance. But also Colin Salmon. I am very excited to see that performance because it’s very very good. You don’t want to miss that one.”
Trevor Dion Nicholas, 39, is an American actor and musician best known for playing the Genie in Aladdin: Live from the West End and George Washington in Hamilton.
“We will watch celebrities learn, stumble and hopefully pull themselves back up because that’s part of what live musical theatre is - to stumble but to carry on. You have one solid shot to get this right and with a live audience there, live orchestra.
“Alex Beresford is performing a number from Hamilton and the song is a beast. I think Danny Care was really charming and wonderful and a really unexpected presence of personality and talent.
“The show is unexpected, unadulterated joy.”
All Star Musicals airs on Sunday 3 April on ITV and ITV Hub
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