''I'd Do Anything'' is a
2008
2008 was designated as:
*International Year of Languages
*International Year of Planet Earth
*International Year of the Potato
*International Year of Sanitation
The Great Recession, a worldwide recession which began in 2007, continued throu ...
talent show
A talent show or talent contest is an event in which participants perform the arts of singing, dancing, lip-syncing, acting, martial arts, playing an instrument, poetry, comedy or other activities to showcase skills. Many talent shows are p ...
-themed
television series
A television show, TV program (), or simply a TV show, is the general reference to any content produced for viewing on a television set that is broadcast via over-the-air, satellite, and cable, or distributed digitally on streaming plat ...
produced by the
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...
in the United Kingdom and broadcast on
BBC One
BBC One is a British free-to-air public broadcast television channel owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's oldest and flagship channel, and is known for broadcasting mainstream programming, which includes BBC News television b ...
.
[
] It premièred on 15 March 2008.
The show centred on a search for a new, unknown lead to play
Nancy and three young performers who would play
Oliver Twist
''Oliver Twist; or, The Parish Boy's Progress'', is the second novel by English author Charles Dickens. It was originally published as a serial from 1837 to 1839 and as a three-volume book in 1838. The story follows the titular orphan, who, ...
in the 2009
West End revival of the British
musical
Musical is the adjective of music.
Musical may also refer to:
* Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance
* Musical film
Musical film is a film genre in which songs by the Character (arts), charac ...
''
Oliver!
''Oliver!'' is a stage musical, with book, music and lyrics by Lionel Bart. The musical is based upon the 1838 novel ''Oliver Twist'' by Charles Dickens.
It premiered at the Wimbledon Theatre, southwest London in 1960 before opening in the W ...
''.
The show, named after the ''Oliver!'' song "
I'd Do Anything", was hosted by
Graham Norton
Graham William Walker (born 4 April 1963), known professionally as Graham Norton, is an Irish comedian, broadcaster, actor, and writer. He is a five-time BAFTA TV Award winner for the comedy chat show ''The Graham Norton Show'' (2007–present) ...
with
Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber (born 22 March 1948) is an English composer and impresario of musical theatre. Several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the West End theatre, West End and on Broadway theatre, Broad ...
again overseeing the programme,
together with
theatrical producer
Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors to present experiences of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The performers may communi ...
Cameron Mackintosh
Sir Cameron Anthony Mackintosh (born 17 October 1946) is a British theatrical producer and theatre owner notable for his association with many commercially successful musicals. At the height of his success in 1990, he was described as being "t ...
. In January 2008,
John Barrowman confirmed he would be taking part in the show.
The
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...
also confirmed in late February 2008 that
Barry Humphries
John Barry Humphries (17 February 1934 – 22 April 2023) was an Australian comedian, actor, author and satirist. He was best known for writing and playing his stage and television characters Dame Edna Everage and Sir Les Patterson. He appeare ...
would join Barrowman and
Denise Van Outen (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 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?'' and ''
Any Dream Will Do'', 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 would play the part of Oliver were chosen by the judging panel.
Criteria
Auditions took place in 2008; in
Belfast
Belfast (, , , ; from ) is the capital city and principal port of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan and connected to the open sea through Belfast Lough and the North Channel (Great Britain and Ireland), North Channel ...
on 24 January,
Manchester
Manchester () is a city and the metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. It had an estimated population of in . Greater Manchester is the third-most populous metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, with a population of 2.92&nbs ...
on 26–27 January,
London
London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
from 1 to 3 February and
Glasgow
Glasgow is the Cities of Scotland, most populous city in Scotland, located on the banks of the River Clyde in Strathclyde, west central Scotland. It is the List of cities in the United Kingdom, third-most-populous city in the United Kingdom ...
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
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 young women were called to London to perform before the panel, consisting of
John Barrowman,
Denise Van Outen and
David Grindrod. 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, 50 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 women at Nancy School and the procedure of finding the final twelve women to compete in the weekly live show for the part of Nancy. The twelve boys who would 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 fewest 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".
Finalists
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.
* 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.
* as of the start of the series
Results summary
;Colour key
Live shows
Week 1 (29/30 March)
Gwion Jones was announced as the first Oliver semi-finalist on the Saturday show.
The show performances and missions were:
*Group performances:
**Nancys and Olivers: "
I'd Do Anything"
**Olivers: "
Food, Glorious Food"
**Nancys: "
Sound of the Underground"
**Gwion and the Olivers: "
Bright Eyes"
*Missions:
**Nancys: Working in an
East End market
Market is a term used to describe concepts such as:
*Market (economics), system in which parties engage in transactions according to supply and demand
*Market economy
*Marketplace, a physical marketplace or public market
*Marketing, the act of sat ...
**Olivers: Learning
magic tricks
Magic, which encompasses the subgenres of close-up magic, parlor magic, and stage magic, among others, is a performing art in which audiences are entertained by tricks, effects, or illusions of seemingly impossible feats, using natural mea ...
with
Paul Kieve
*Panel's verdict on who was not Nancy:
**John Barrowman: Amy Booth-Steel
**Denise Van Outen: Tara Bethan
**Barry Humphries: Amy Booth-Steel
Sing-off:
Week 2 (5/6 April)
Chester McKee was announced as the second Oliver semi-finalist on the Saturday show.
The show performances and missions were:
*Group performances:
**Nancys: "
Oom-Pah-Pah"
**Olivers: "
Electricity
Electricity is the set of physical phenomena associated with the presence and motion of matter possessing an electric charge. Electricity is related to magnetism, both being part of the phenomenon of electromagnetism, as described by Maxwel ...
" from ''
Billy Elliot the Musical
''Billy Elliot: The Musical'' is a Coming-of-age story, coming-of-age stage musical based on the Billy Elliot, 2000 film of the same name. The music is by Elton John, and the book and lyrics are by Lee Hall (playwright), Lee Hall, who wrote th ...
''
**Nancys: "
Enough is Enough"
**Chester and the Olivers: "
Pie Jesu"
*Missions:
**Nancys: Facing their
fears interacting with
rat
Rats are various medium-sized, long-tailed rodents. Species of rats are found throughout the order Rodentia, but stereotypical rats are found in the genus ''Rattus''. Other rat genera include '' Neotoma'' (pack rats), '' Bandicota'' (bandicoo ...
s and acting with
Steven Hartley
Steven Hartley (born 12 August 1960) is an English actor who has appeared in television, film, and theatre.
Early life
Hartley was born in Shipley and grew up in Yorkshire. He was a successful Amateur Boxer for York He worked for two years a ...
as Bill Sykes
**Olivers: Acting class in the
West End at ''
Billy Elliot the Musical
''Billy Elliot: The Musical'' is a Coming-of-age story, coming-of-age stage musical based on the Billy Elliot, 2000 film of the same name. The music is by Elton John, and the book and lyrics are by Lee Hall (playwright), Lee Hall, who wrote th ...
''
*Panel's verdict on who was not Nancy:
**John Barrowman: Samantha Barks
**Denise Van Outen: Keisha Amponsa-Banson
**Barry Humphries: Keisha Amponsa-Banson
Sing-off:
Week 3 (12/13 April)
Arthur Byrne was announced as the third Oliver semi-finalist on the Saturday show.
The show performances and missions were:
*Group performances:
**Nancys: "
It's a Fine Life"
**Olivers: "
Teamwork
Teamwork is the collaborative effort of a group to achieve a common goal or to complete a task in an effective and efficient way. Teamwork is seen within the framework of a team, which is a group of interdependent individuals who work toge ...
" from ''
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
''Chitty Chitty Bang Bang'' is a 1968 children's film, children's Musical film, musical fantasy film directed by Ken Hughes and produced by Albert R. Broccoli. It stars Dick Van Dyke, Sally Ann Howes, Lionel Jeffries, Gert Fröbe, Anna Quayle, ...
''
**Nancys: "
Good Morning Baltimore" from the musical ''
Hairspray''
**Arthur and the Olivers "
A Whole New World
"A Whole New World" is the signature song from Walt Disney Animation Studios, Disney's 1992 animated feature film Aladdin (1992 Disney film), ''Aladdin'', with music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Tim Rice. A duet originally recorded by singers B ...
" from the film ''
Aladdin
Aladdin ( ; , , ATU 561, 'Aladdin') is a Middle-Eastern folk tale. It is one of the best-known tales associated with '' One Thousand and One Nights'' (often known in English as ''The Arabian Nights''), despite not being part of the original ...
''
*Missions:
**Nancys: Losing their inhibitions by performing the love scene from the musical ''
Hairspray'' with
Ben James-Ellis in front of their fathers.
**Olivers: Learning teamwork and stamina at
Tottenham Hotspur Training Academy with club captain,
Robbie Keane.
*Theme: Songs from
Musicals
Musical theatre is a form of theatrical performance that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance. The story and emotional content of a musical – humor, pathos, love, anger – are communicated through words, music, movement ...
or
Films
A film, also known as a movie or motion picture, is a work of Visual arts, visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, emotions, or atmosphere through the use of moving images that are gen ...
*Panel's verdict on who was not Nancy:
**John Barrowman: Tara Bethan
**Denise Van Outen: Keisha Amponsa-Banson
**Barry Humphries: Tara Bethan
Sing-off:
Week 4 (19/20 April)
Kwayedza Kureya was announced as the fourth Oliver semi-finalist on the Saturday show.
The show performances and missions were:
*Group performances:
**Nancys and Olivers: "
Consider Yourself"
**Olivers: "
I Whistle a Happy Tune" from ''
The King and I
''The King and I'' is the fifth musical by the team of Rodgers and Hammerstein. It is based on Margaret Landon's novel '' Anna and the King of Siam'' (1944), which is in turn derived from the memoirs of Anna Leonowens, governess to the childr ...
''
**Nancys: "
Viva Las Vegas
''Viva Las Vegas'' is a 1964 American rock and roll musical film directed by George Sidney, written by Sally Benson, choreographed by David Winters, and starring Elvis Presley, Ann-Margret, Cesare Danova, William Demarest and Nicky Blair ...
"
**Kwayedza and the Olivers: "
I'll Be There"
*Missions:
**Nancys: Performing "
I'm Not that Girl" from the musical ''
Wicked'' in front of a West End audience at the
Apollo Victoria Theatre
**Olivers: Testing their bravery by
abseiling
Abseiling ( ; ), also known as rappelling ( ; ), is the controlled descent of a steep slope, such as a rock face, by moving down a rope. When abseiling, the person descending controls their own movement down a static or fixed rope, in cont ...
*Theme:
Las Vegas
Las Vegas, colloquially referred to as Vegas, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and the county seat of Clark County. The Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area is the largest within the greater Mojave Desert, and second-l ...
Divas
*Panel's verdict on who was not Nancy:
**John Barrowman: Keisha Amponsa-Banson
**Denise Van Outen: Keisha Amponsa-Banson
**Barry Humphries: Francesca Jackson
Sing-off:
Week 5 (26/27 April)
Alexander Hockaday was announced as the fifth Oliver semi-finalist on the Saturday show.
The show performances and missions were:
*Group performances:
**Nancys and Olivers: "
You've Got to Pick a Pocket or Two"
**Olivers: "
It's the Hard Knock Life" from ''
Annie''
**Nancys: "
Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves"
**Alexander and the Olivers: "
Can You Feel the Love Tonight" from ''
The Lion King
''The Lion King'' is a 1994 American animated musical coming-of-age drama film directed by Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff, produced by Don Hahn, and written by Irene Mecchi, Jonathan Roberts, and Linda Woolverton. Produced by Walt Disney ...
''
*Missions:
**Nancys: Testing their
physical fitness
Physical fitness is a state of health and well-being and, more specifically, the ability to perform aspects of Outline of sports, sports, occupations, and daily activities. Physical fitness is generally achieved through proper nutrition, modera ...
by
rowing
Rowing is the act of propelling a human-powered watercraft using the sweeping motions of oars to displace water and generate reactional propulsion. Rowing is functionally similar to paddling, but rowing requires oars to be mechanically a ...
and
teamwork
Teamwork is the collaborative effort of a group to achieve a common goal or to complete a task in an effective and efficient way. Teamwork is seen within the framework of a team, which is a group of interdependent individuals who work toge ...
by then
racing
In sports, racing is a competition of speed, in which competitors try to complete a given task in the shortest amount of time. Typically this involves traversing some distance, but it can be any other task involving speed to reach a specific g ...
in two teams
**Olivers: Learning
stage fighting
*Panel's verdict on who was not Nancy:
**John Barrowman: Keisha Amponsa-Banson
**Denise Van Outen: Ashley J Russell
**Barry Humphries: Keisha Amponsa-Banson
Sing-off:
Notes:
* 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."
[At the end of Keisha's final performance, he can be seen to leave the stage prematurely.
]
Week 6 (3/4 May)
Harry Stott was announced as the sixth Oliver semi-finalist on the Saturday show. 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" from ''
High School Musical
''High School Musical'' is a 2006 American Musical film, musical television film produced by and aired on Disney Channel as part of the network's List of Disney Channel original films, slate of original television films. The first installmen ...
''
**Nancys: "
Fings Ain't Wot They Used T'Be
''Fings Ain't Wot They Used T'be'' is a 1960 West End theatre, West End musical comedy about Cockney low-life characters in the 1950s, including spivs, prostitutes, teddy-boys and corrupt policemen. The work is more of a Play (theatre), play w ...
" from the musical of the same name
**Sarah, Harry and the Olivers: "
Together (Wherever We Go)" from the musical ''
Gypsy
{{Infobox ethnic group
, group = Romani people
, image =
, image_caption =
, flag = Roma flag.svg
, flag_caption = Romani flag created in 1933 and accepted at the 1971 World Romani Congress
, po ...
''
*Missions:
**Nancys: Improving their acting skills acting a piece from
Blood Brothers and improving their
cockney accent
Cockney is a dialect of the English language, mainly spoken in London and its environs, particularly by Londoners with working-class and lower middle class roots. The term ''Cockney'' is also used as a demonym for a person from the East End ...
in an
East End pub with actress
Barbara Windsor
Dame Barbara Windsor (born Barbara Ann Deeks; 6 August 193710 December 2020) was an English actress, known for her roles in the Carry On (franchise), ''Carry On'' films and for playing Peggy Mitchell in the BBC One soap opera ''EastEnders''.
**Olivers: Working with the cast of ''
High School Musical on Stage!'' learning how to take
direction
*Theme:
Big Band
A big band or jazz orchestra is a type of musical ensemble of jazz music that usually consists of ten or more musicians with four sections: saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and a rhythm section. Big bands originated during the early 1910s and ...
*Panel's verdict on who was not Nancy:
**John Barrowman: Jodie Prenger
**Denise Van Outen: Sarah Lark
**Barry Humphries: Ashley J Russell
Sing-off:
Notes:
* Andrew Lloyd Webber told Sarah after her elimination, "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 7 (10/11 May)
Laurence Jeffcoate was announced as the seventh Oliver semi-finalist on the Saturday show. 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 to see
Celine Dion
Céline Marie Claudette Dion (born 30 March 1968) is a Canadian singer. Referred to as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Power Ballads", Dion's powerful, technically skilled vocals and commercially successful works have had ...
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''
**Nancys: "
Nobody Does It Better" from the film ''
The Spy Who Loved Me''
**Niamh, Laurence and the Olivers: "
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
''Chitty Chitty Bang Bang'' is a 1968 children's film, children's Musical film, musical fantasy film directed by Ken Hughes and produced by Albert R. Broccoli. It stars Dick Van Dyke, Sally Ann Howes, Lionel Jeffries, Gert Fröbe, Anna Quayle, ...
" from the musical of
the same name.
**''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"
***"The Women" – Ashley, Jodie and Rachel: "
Man! I Feel Like a Woman!"
*Missions:
**Nancys:
James Bond
The ''James Bond'' franchise focuses on James Bond (literary character), the titular character, a fictional Secret Intelligence Service, British Secret Service agent created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels ...
style mission with John Barrowman, learning theatrical
stunt
A stunt is an unusual, difficult, dramatic physical feat that may require a special skill, performed for artistic purposes usually for a public audience, as on television or in theaters or cinema. Stunts are a feature of many action films. Befo ...
s.
**Olivers: Visited the
Ragged School Museum to learn how strict conditions were in
workhouse
In Britain and Ireland, a workhouse (, lit. "poor-house") was a total institution where those unable to support themselves financially were offered accommodation and employment. In Scotland, they were usually known as Scottish poorhouse, poorh ...
s and worked with actor
Todd Carty learning the famous Oliver line, "Please Sir, I want some more."
*Panel's verdict on who was not Nancy:
**John Barrowman: Jessie Buckley
**Denise Van Outen: Ashley J Russell
**Barry Humphries: Rachel Tucker
Sing-off:
Notes:
* Some of Candyman's lyrics were altered in order to adhere to the family-orientated nature of the series, bearing in mind the song was about intercourse; the sentence "he's a one-stop shop, makes the panties drop" was changed to "he's a one-stop shop, really hit the spot". After the performance, Lloyd-Webber smirked, "We won't go into the lyrics of what you sang in too much detail."
* Lloyd Webber said after the sing off, "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 8 (17/18 May)
Week eight was the quarter-final stage of the series. Jonny Clowes was announced as the eighth and last Oliver semi-finalist on the Saturday show with Gareth Borrow, Jordan Li-Smith, Joseph McNamara and Sam Cotton leaving after the Saturday show.
The Nancys were joined by five of the finalists from ''
Any Dream Will Do'' -
Daniel Boys
Daniel Boys (born 26 March 1979) is an English actor. He starred in the West End productions of the musicals ''Rent'' and ''Grease'' before being a 2007 contestant on the BBC talent series '' Any Dream Will Do''. Boys went on to star in many ...
, Lewis Bradley,
Ben James-Ellis,
Keith Jack and Rob McVeigh 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"
** Gareth, Jordan, Joseph, Sam and the Olivers: "
Reach"
**Josephs and Nancys: "
Dancing in the Street"
**Jonny and the rest of the Oliver semi-finalists: "
I Have a Dream
"I Have a Dream" is a Public speaking, public speech that was delivered by American civil rights activist and Baptist minister Martin Luther King Jr. during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom on August 28, 1963. In the speech, Kin ...
"
**Nancys: "
I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair" from the musical ''
South Pacific''
*Missions:
**Nancys: Learning a
comedy
Comedy is a genre of dramatic works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium.
Origins
Comedy originated in ancient Greec ...
routine from ''Life Coach'' with
comedian
A comedian (feminine comedienne) or comic is a person who seeks to entertainment, entertain an audience by making them laughter, laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting foolishly (as in slapstick), or employing prop c ...
Phill Jupitus
Phillip Christopher Jupitus (, ''Given name#Name at birth, né'' Swan; born 25 June 1962) is a retired English stand-up comedy, stand-up and Improv comedy teacher, improv comedian, actor, performance poetry, performance poet, cartoonist and podc ...
and Life Coach creator, Nick Reed.
**Olivers: Learning the scene from ''Oliver!'' where Oliver first meets the
Artful Dodger
Jack Dawkins, better known as the Artful Dodger, is a character in Charles Dickens's 1838 novel ''Oliver Twist''. The Dodger is a pickpocket and his nickname refers to his skill and cunning in that occupation. In the novel, he is the leader of th ...
with actor Daniel Barber (Gavroche in ''
Les Misérables
''Les Misérables'' (, ) is a 19th-century French literature, French Epic (genre), epic historical fiction, historical novel by Victor Hugo, first published on 31 March 1862, that is considered one of the greatest novels of the 19th century. '' ...
'').
*Panel's verdict on who was not Nancy:
**John Barrowman: Jessie Buckley
**Denise Van Outen: Niamh Perry
**Barry Humphries: Niamh Perry
Sing-off:
Notes:
* After Niamh's elimination Lloyd Webber said, "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 9 (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'' on
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television channel owned and operated by Channel Four Television Corporation. It is state-owned enterprise, publicly owned but, unlike the BBC, it receives no public funding and is funded en ...
singing "Oom-Pah-Pah".
[
]
Gwion Jones, Harry Stott and Laurence Jeffcoate 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."
Cameron Mackintosh confirmed that
Rowan Atkinson will be performing the part of
Fagin in the stage show. The four remaining Nancys were divided into pairs, The ''
Northern Nancys'' and the ''
Celtic
Celtic, Celtics or Keltic may refer to:
Language and ethnicity
*pertaining to Celts, a collection of Indo-European peoples in Europe and Anatolia
**Celts (modern)
*Celtic languages
**Proto-Celtic language
*Celtic music
*Celtic nations
Sports Foot ...
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
A superstar is someone who has great popular appeal and is widely known, prominent, or successful in their field. Celebrities referred to as "superstars" may include individuals who work as actors, musicians, athletes, and other media-based profe ...
" from the
rock opera
A rock opera is a collection of rock music songs with lyrics that relate to a common story. Rock operas are typically released as concept albums and are not scripted for acting, which distinguishes them from operas, although several have been ad ...
''
Jesus Christ Superstar
''Jesus Christ Superstar'' is a sung-through rock opera with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice. Loosely based on the Life of Jesus in the New Testament, Gospels' accounts of Passion of Jesus, the Passion, the work interprets ...
''
**Olivers: "
Tomorrow" from the musical ''
Annie''
**The Celtic Nancys (Jessie and Rachel): "
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires, controlled by the government of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Argentina. It is located on the southwest of the Río de la Plata. Buenos Aires is classified as an Alpha− glob ...
" from the musical ''
Evita''
**Alexander, Arthur, Chester, Jonny and Kwayedza: "
No Matter What" from the musical ''
Whistle Down the Wind''
**Nancys: "
A Hard Day's Night" from the
Beatles
The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The core lineup of the band comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are widely regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatle ...
' film of the
same name
**Gwion, Harry and Laurence: "
Where is Love?"
*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" in front of Barry Humphries.
**Olivers: Performing as Oliver in a West End theatre singing "
Where is Love?" with advice from actor
Jon Lee.
*Panel's verdict on who was not Nancy:
**John Barrowman: Jessie Buckley
**Denise Van Outen: Jessie Buckley
**Barry Humphries: Jodie Prenger
**Cameron Mackintosh: Jodie Prenger
Sing-off:
Notes:
* Andrew Lloyd Webber expressed severe disappointment with the result, 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 from 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 Louise Ciccone ( ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Referred to as the "Queen of Pop", she has been recognized for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, ...
's iconic images. Jodie posed in a
wedding dress
A wedding dress or bridal gown is the dress worn by the bride during a wedding ceremony. The color, style and ceremonial importance of the gown can depend on the religion and culture of the wedding participants. Wedding dresses hold a significan ...
to recreate the cover of the album ''
Like a Virgin''; Jessie copied a pose, wearing a black dress, from the
music video
A music video is a video that integrates a song or an album with imagery that is produced for promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing device intended to ...
for the song ''
Like a Prayer'', Samantha was dressed in
hotpants copying the pose from the cover of the 2008 album, ''
Hard Candy'' and Rachel posed in a cowboy hat, recreating the cover of the album ''
Music
Music is the arrangement of sound to create some combination of Musical form, form, harmony, melody, rhythm, or otherwise Musical expression, expressive content. Music is generally agreed to be a cultural universal that is present in all hum ...
''.
Week 10 (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,
Jodie Prenger and
Samantha Barks
Samantha Jane Barks (born 2 October 1990) is a British actress and singer who rose to fame after placing third in the BBC talent show-themed television series '' I'd Do Anything'' in 2008. She has released three studio albums: ''Looking in Y ...
.
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 () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
in the week leading up to the show. In London they met and had a "Master Class" with
Liza Minnelli
Liza May Minnelli ( ; born March 12, 1946) is an American actress, singer, and dancer. Known for her commanding stage presence and powerful alto singing voice, Minnelli has received numerous accolades including an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, ...
. All twelve Nancy finalists and all twelve Oliver finalists also performed.
Lee Mead also performed on Show One. In Show two both Jessie and Jodie performed Nancy's love ballad "
As Long as He Needs Me".
The show performances were:
*Group performances:
**Nancys and Olivers*: "
I'd Do Anything"
(all twelve Nancy and all twelve Oliver finalists)
**Laurence and Jodie: "
Getting to Know You" from the musical ''
The King and I
''The King and I'' is the fifth musical by the team of Rodgers and Hammerstein. It is based on Margaret Landon's novel '' Anna and the King of Siam'' (1944), which is in turn derived from the memoirs of Anna Leonowens, governess to the childr ...
''
**Harry and Samantha: "
Singin' in the Rain" from the film ''
Singin' in the Rain''
**Gwion and Jessie: "
Truly Scrumptious" from the musical ''
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
''Chitty Chitty Bang Bang'' is a 1968 children's film, children's Musical film, musical fantasy film directed by Ken Hughes and produced by Albert R. Broccoli. It stars Dick Van Dyke, Sally Ann Howes, Lionel Jeffries, Gert Fröbe, Anna Quayle, ...
''
**Jessie, Jodie and Samantha "
Maybe This Time" from the film ''
Cabaret
Cabaret is a form of theatrical entertainment featuring music song, dance, recitation, or drama. The performance venue might be a pub, casino, hotel, restaurant, or nightclub with a stage for performances. The audience, often dining or drinking, ...
''
**Lee Mead and the Olivers "
Any Dream Will Do" from the musical ''
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat''
**Former Olivers and Nancys: "
Never Forget"
*Theme: Emotional Showstoppers
*Theme: Winning song, song of the series
*Judges' verdicts on who was Nancy:
**John Barrowman: Jodie Prenger
**Denise Van Outen: Jodie Prenger
**Barry Humphries: Jessie Buckley
**Cameron Mackintosh: Jessie Buckley
**Andrew Lloyd Webber: Jessie Buckley
*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 actor,
Kevin Spacey
Kevin Spacey Fowler (born July 26, 1959) is an American actor. Known for Kevin Spacey on screen and stage, his work on stage and screen, he List of awards and nominations received by Kevin Spacey, has received numerous accolades, including two ...
, the artistic director of the
Old Vic
Old or OLD may refer to:
Places
*Old, Baranya, Hungary
*Old, Northamptonshire, England
*Old Street station, a railway and tube station in London (station code OLD)
*OLD, IATA code for Old Town Municipal Airport and Seaplane Base, Old Town, Mai ...
Theatre Company for airing shows such as ''I'd Do Anything'' and ''
Any Dream Will Do'' 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'' or ''
The Sound of Music
''The Sound of Music'' is a musical with music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, and a book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. It is based on the 1949 memoir of Maria von Trapp, '' The Story of the Trapp Family Singers''. ...
''.
Spacey's comments were criticised by
Simon Cowell
Simon Phillip Cowell (; born 7 October 1959) is an English television personality and businessman. He has judged on the British television talent competition shows ''Pop Idol'' (2001–2003), ''The X Factor (British TV series), The X Factor UK ...
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 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 (DS) is a British-based entertainment, television and film website and brand and is the largest digital property at Hearst UK. Since its initial launch in 1999, Digital Spy has focused on entertainment news related to television pro ...
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 & Mrs'', on
ITV1
ITV1 (formerly known as ITV) is a British free-to-air Public service broadcasting in the United Kingdom, public broadcast television channel owned and operated by the British media company ITV plc. It provides the ITV (TV network), Channel 3 ...
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'' on
ITV1
ITV1 (formerly known as ITV) is a British free-to-air Public service broadcasting in the United Kingdom, public broadcast television channel owned and operated by the British media company ITV plc. It provides the ITV (TV network), Channel 3 ...
although the shows did not clash directly apart from a short period toward the end of the first show of ''I'd Do Anything''. The total number of viewers for both shows was given as 20 million.
Ratings
Ratings taken from BARB.
Later series
Lloyd Webber next returned to BBC screens in 2010 with a similar series, ''
Over the Rainbow'', a search to find a new
Dorothy for ''
The Wizard of Oz'', produced by his company,
The Really Useful Group.
References
External links
*
*
Official Oliver! The Musical website
{{DEFAULTSORT:I'd Do Anything (Bbc Tv Series)
BBC One original programming
British reality television series
Singing talent shows
2008 British television series debuts
2008 British television series endings
Oliver Twist