I'd Do Anything

i will DEFO be booking a ticket...

its TRUE its on his site
WOO

Haha i knew you'd say that!!

I read in a magazine that there's a conspiracy to stop Jodie (allegedly favourite) beating Rachel (the industry's fave). TBH Rachel's the only one I've ever really seen as Nancy - ie I had a moment when I thought, "Ohhhh she's it!", although I actually want Niamh to win even though I think she's only 17 and too young ...


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/showbiz/showbiznews.html?in_article_id=566679&in_page_id=1773

Backstage with the Nancys: The final five Oliver! hopefuls really will do ANYTHING to win
By REBECCA HARDY - More by this author »

Last updated at 11:03am on 16th May 2008

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When I'm given exclusive access to BBC1's Nancyland, size zero Niamh Perry is in training with a bunch of blokes on the sports field, in an effort to toughen her up and bring out her inner steel.


Niamh, pronounced "neeve" as in na've, has been criticised for being "too fragile" to carry off the role of Nancy in the West End musical Oliver!.

Meanwhile, the four other hopefuls are belting out the lyrics to this week's big dance number from tin baths.

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Turning nasty? The final five fight it out to be a West End star



Mettle, you see, matters here as the five remaining Nancies in BBC1's I'd Do Anything graft away in the hope of stage superstardom.

This is the third of Andrew Lloyd Webber's hugely popular BBC1 talent search shows. After discovering Connie Fisher for Maria in The Sound Of Music, and Lee Mead for Joseph, both have gone on to spectacular success.


We're down from 12 Nancy hopefuls to five. With the quarter-finals looming and so much at stake, it's not surprising that the pressure is beginning to tell: tears, temper tantrums, rebellion.

When I meet the girls, however - despite a rather, well, less than affable spat last week - they're pure sugar and spice.


There's Jessie Buckley, 18, an aspiring drama school student from Co. Kerry (impossibly short shorts and long legs), Samantha Barks, a 17-year-old drama student from the Isle of Man (notable plunging top), Jodie Prenger, 28, a diet and fitness guru from Blackpool (fantastic voice but overacts), and Rachel Tucker, 26, a Harrods perfume girl from Belfast (massive attitude), and finally Niamh, 17, a Northern Irish schoolgirl (haunting voice, huge eyes, think young Sarah Brightman).


Each week, these previously unknown wannabes are put through their paces here in Nancyland, by dance, voice and acting professionals, as they prepare to face the celebrity panel - Barry Humphries, Denise van Outen and John Barrowman - the public vote and, of course, Andrew himself.


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Girls night out: the remaining hopefuls attended the premiere of Sex And The City together on Monday night

This morning, choreographer Kevin is hammering out the moves for the South Pacific hit that will feature in tomorrow's peak-time Saturday night show.

It's 11am and they've been here in a West London sports pavilion for almost three hours.


After a 45-minute break for lunch, the girls are off to learn to be funny. "Are you good at comedy?" I ask Sam.


"You never know, we've been given a script," she grins.


The girls are actually a warm, sweet bunch, but unlike I'd Do Anything's predecessors - How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria? and Any Dream Will Do, in which Fisher and Mead quickly emerged as favourites - nobody seems to have a dickens which Nancy will win.


Indeed, public support for each girl has gone up and down more times than a 19th-century barmaid's bloomers. And, flippin' 'eck, even the Nancies can't make up their minds - which brings us back to that spat.


When I'd Do Anything host Graham Norton asked each girl to name who they thought should be kicked out of the competition, this so perceived tight-knit group seemed to fall apart quicker than you can say superglue.


Jessie and Jodie conspired against Niamh; Jessie sniped: "She's better suited to a pop career." Jodie added: "She's na've, so fragile."

Sam stuck the knife into Rachel: "She's so slick and polished."

And Rachel knifed her back: "She's too poppy - she's not for the role of Nancy."

In fact, only the clearly notsona've Niamh plumped for the eventual loser Ashley Russell, who was sent packing at the end of Sunday night's result show after several weeks of criticism from Andrew.

Indeed, his cutting verdict on her rendition of I Say A Little Prayer was: "Run for the bus." But today in Nancyland it's on with the show.


Last seen by the programme's five million viewers sobbing over the departure of her old chum Ashley, a much cheerier Jodie, surrounded by her new best friends, explains how she was put on the spot last week to identify the weakest Nancy: 2I just pulled the name out of a hat. It was such a hard thing to do. We've really bonded. We really are best friends."

Oh. What about Ashley? Weren't you sad to see her go? "Gutted. It's a competition, isn't it? But we'll probably go out for a coffee and croissant."

Sam gushes support for Niamh, too: "I love Niamh."

What about Rachel? I remind her of last week's attempt to have her booted off the show.

"I don't think Rachel should go." Oh? "No, I definitely think Rachel could be Nancy." I'm confused.


Sam has boasted that she "could be a leading lady in a massive musical" (meaning Nancy) - surely she's not passing the boots and corset to Rachel? Chin tilts, eyes harden.


"I hope I'd make a good Nancy as well," she retorts. Rachel's up next. Now, here's one that could give Niamh a lesson or two in steeliness.

At the end of the result show, the two Nancies with the lowest public vote battle it out for a place in the next round in a sing-off. Andrew decides who goes and who stays.


Two weeks ago, Rachel was devastated to find herself singing for survival.

Even so, she decided to ignore the boss's advice and perform You've Got A Friend "my way". Andrew got humpy, but the public voted for her to stay.

"I'd been listening to too many cooks the week before and thought: 'I'm going to do it my way.' So I did," says Rachel.

"Andrew said he didn't believe my acting through the song. I had a singing lesson with him the week before and got to know him better.


"What I did didn't please Andrew. So, it didn't please him, but I pleased myself at least. I was happy I did what I wanted to do - even if I didn't get great comments from the judges.


"I'm absolutely going to do it my way from here on in. If I go out on Saturday night, at least I can say: 'I went my way.'

"The pressure is very, very hard. OK, we all have our moments, but I'm learning to zip it [she pulls a hand across her mouth] and just get on with it."

Andrew, of course, has said he's looking for "a feisty" Nancy. Well, Rachel seems to have it in spades.

Yet he also wants his leading lady to be "warm and loving and motherly", but "the real thing she has to be is a survivor, someone who could serve in an East End pub."

Step forward Jodie. A few years ago, Jodie would have been more likely to secure a starring role on Fat Camp than a West End stage.

Certainly, she wouldn't have managed tomorrow night's tin bath routine without fear of getting stuck.

For Jodie's weight had soared to a massive size 26.

"I'd given up singing for two years," she says.

"I used to be 22 stone at my biggest. I ate the wrong stuff at the wrong time and didn't exercise. In the morning I'd have a bacon sandwich, snack on chocolate bars, and, at night, eat Chinese and lots of pizza. It becomes a force of habit and before you know it, you're a size 18 and then a size 26.


"I'd always wanted to be a singer, but was getting the knock-back at auditions. I'd walk in and there'd be girls who were size sixes flipping their legs behind their necks. I gave up because I just couldn't keep putting myself through it.


"Then I lost the weight by eating really healthily and doing lots of exercise. Forget all these fabulous 14-day diets you read about in magazines; the only way you can lose weight is through hard work.


"It was really tough for me to go to the audition for I'd Do Anything. My mum heard about it on the radio. I said: 'What if I don't get it?' She said: 'It's always been your dream'."


Jodie is a down-to-earth trouper, with a salty humour.

She tells me about "putting my chicken fillets on" [breast enhancers] or "my Spanx knickers" [those corset-like, stomach squelching panties] when she fancies a "new look".

Weekends are spent chivvying others to lose weight in her new role as a diet and fitness guru.

She says she's the "happiest and healthiest" she's been.

Indeed, since shedding an incredible 8st, she's found love, too, and is newly engaged to computer technician Steve Greengrass.

They met four months ago at a Salsa bar.


"It's been a whirlwind," she says. "I think it's four weeks today that he proposed, but because you're living in a Nancy bubble you genuinely lose track of time.


"Our third date was the audition for the show. I didn't want him to go. You don't take a date to an audition, do you? I thought: 'I'll look a right idiot in front of him if I don't get through'."

But, of course, she did.


Does she think she'll win? "It's so hard. Everybody is so different in different ways. It changes each week who's in the bottom two so there's no clear winner."

Indeed. Andrew, though, seems to have his favourite.

Last week, when Jessie disappointed after a stunning performance the week before, he looked like an Oliver who had been refused more porridge.

Understandably.


In the final, Andrew won't be in a position to save anybody, as the winning Nancy is decided by the public.

Which leaves the stage door open for Rachel, Jessie and, of course, Niamh, who's back from the playing fields having socked it to the boys.

"They didn't know what had hit them because I'm quite strong," boasts this oh-so slender schoolgirl.

"I've proven that today. I've got a good song this week and I'm hoping to show aggression and a bit of strength."


Attagirl.

"The girls said to me that they only chose me because they had to say a name. I am an easy target because I'm fragile - or they think I'm fragile, but I'm not. I speak my mind and don't let people walk all over me. It's irritating that people have a judgment because of my build.


"I don't want to change myself. I'm not going to put fake tan on. I'm not going to eat more. I'm who I am. Andrew has said I could redefine the role, so that's what I want to do rather than be the stereotypical Nancy."


Gosh, she's really doing steely now. Apart from socking it to the boys, what's the steeliest thing she's done?


"Oh, that's a good question." Long pause. "Umm ..." The BBC1 I'd Do Anything PR tries to help her out.

"Nancy?" "Umm ... probably when we were in Andrew's house waiting to see if I'd made it through the auditions to the final 12 was the hardest thing.


"It's made me stronger as a person. I've grown up since we've been here. I do everything for myself - from grocery shopping to meeting people on my own, to having a social life on my day off. It's a bit of freedom.


"On May 31, this whole thing will be over and we'll be out of the Nancy bubble," she pauses again and looks at the PR before continuing.

"Bubble doesn't sound very nice, but I sort of dread when it bursts because I am having the time of my life here." Hmm, more sweet than steely.


Back to the tin baths. After several frustrating attempts, choreographer Kev (now he is a star) manages to synchronise the girls ablutions in the bathtubs ready for filming.

Sam does gorgeous, Niamh does vulnerable, Jodie and Rachel belt out the lyrics, while Jessie forgets them.

It's a wrap. They'll work on the vocals tomorrow.


My time in Nancyland is reaching an end. As the girls head off to rehearse being funny, I'm still weighing up which of them has the mettle to be Nancy.

Niamh? Too soft. Sam? Not soft enough. Jodie? Maybe - maybe not.

Jessie? Possibly. Rachel?

She's warm, down-to-earth and definitely feisty. Yes, if push came to shove I'd plump for Rachel - if she can zip it, but who knows?

• BBC1's I'd Do Anything is broadcast tomorrow at 7.45pm. The result show is on Sunday at 7.30pm.

I like Jessie and Sam

I want Jodie to win
Also like Jessie.

Awww Bless Keith's socks!!! Mr snake hips or what?? Shame they didn't get to talk to him..was so nice to see him again on tv, bet it brought back loads of memories for all the Jo's. He's dancing is so much better now, we all know his voice just get's better but we didn't really get to hear much of it!!! Go Keith go!!!!
I told bub's she should have been on there as nancy, then i culd have got to see Keith again, only one prob with bub's voice, it rather resembles a drain!! lol

did you see Keith on it to day he was great and a long with the others the how thing was great

the mad rush starts now........hi all

Niamh and Jessie have blown it. Age!


Rachel to win!!!!!!!!!

Keith was great
Rachel to win!!!

RACHEL TO WIN IDA !!

Its all about Jessie and i was quite sad to see Niamh go!

I saw tonight what Denise said about Samantha's sexiness - she's a hottie.

demonllama wrote:I saw tonight what Denise said about Samantha's sexiness - she's a hottie.

She is very comfortable isnt she she has a certain confidence about her!.

demonllama wrote:I saw tonight what Denise said about Samantha's sexiness - she's a hottie.

yeah i love her i think she is great! its all about Sam and Jessie for me

*Hayley* wrote:

demonllama wrote:I saw tonight what Denise said about Samantha's sexiness - she's a hottie.

She is very comfortable isnt she she has a certain confidence about her!.

she was in my paper yest...and its not her at all. She wouldnt ever wear the outifts they put her in outside of the show..
she is doing it for the part!

"Defying Gravity" is now at number 39 on iTunes - wasn't even in the Top 100 yesterday before the show!!!!!!!!!!!

Emma wrote:

*Hayley* wrote:

demonllama wrote:I saw tonight what Denise said about Samantha's sexiness - she's a hottie.

She is very comfortable isnt she she has a certain confidence about her!.

she was in my paper yest...and its not her at all. She wouldnt ever wear the outifts they put her in outside of the show..
she is doing it for the part!

I don't think we mean her outfits, we mean her general self-confidence and how self-assured she is with being female. It's hard to be that comfortable with all the new parts when you're 17, but she carries herself like a woman.

Defying Gravity is quite a good song !

It was at 26 earlier today, now at 27. I bought it :> It's a gorgeous song, I keep listening to it. I must see Wicked now!

it was nice to see Keith on Id do anything last week

oooh next week will be interesting...i love Jessie, but she does have a problem with her movement!
SAM was amazing..she shouldnt have been in the sing off..i know that someone had to be, but blah!
Glad she got through, omg did you see Andrews face, yet again he wasnt happy

I forgot to watch it.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1022012/The-Nancies-youve-seen-Id-Do-Anything-trio-pose-Madonna.html

Look how hot the Nancys look!!!!!!!!