Meet the celebrities taking part in All Star Musicals 2019
Alan Titchmarsh, Martin Lewis, Joel Dommett and Amy Walsh are among the contestants hoping to impress presenter John Barrowman and judge Elaine Paige
All Star Musicals is back in 2019 with a whole new cast of celebrities hoping to crack the West End stage by belting out a series of show tunes.
The one-off special features seven celebrities who are looking to flex their musical theatre muscles in a one-off extravaganza, hosted by Doctor Who and Torchwood star John Barrowman.
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The hopefuls will be performing in an attempt to impress the audience at the London Palladium alongside the panel of judges – theatre legend Elaine Paige, American Gods actress Kristin Chenoweth, Strictly star Kevin Clifton and West End performer Trevor Dion Nicholas – to be crowned All Star Musicals champion.
But who are the celebrities in All Star Musicals? Here’s the all star cast taking part.
Alan Titchmarsh
Singing: Some Enchanted Evening from South Pacific
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The presenter and gardening expert has always had a keen interest in theatre and singing, having previously hosted ITV’s Popstar to Operastar.
While he teases he’s been offered a chance to take part in reality shows before, it was the opportunity to star on stage at the London Palladium that he found “irresistible”.
“That said, I'm now scared stiff!” he joked. “I sang as a boy in the church choir and later as an adult, but I have never sung anything like this in public!
"I’ve always had a taste for musicals. I met my wife in an operatic society. But I don’t think I’ve sung in public for getting on for forty years so it’s a long time."
Martin Lewis
Singing: Any Dream Will Do from Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat
The money-saving expert has never sung before, and isn’t even a big music fan – but has chosen to take part in the show to make his six-year-old daughter happy.
“I’ve said no to lots of TV talent show type programmes. Yet my little girl loves musicals, and so I’ve been watching them with her; and when I mentioned that I’d been asked to do All Star Musicals, she got very excited,” he explained. “And I love my little girl, and I love a challenge. So I’m going to try and take my vocal chords to places they’ve never been before!”
Tessa Peake Jones
Singing: Mamma Mia from Mamma Mia
Having previously starred as Raquel in Only Fools and Horses, the actress is used to adopting a persona – but admits training for a musical has “shaken her out of her comfort zone”.
“I’m really excited about the Palladium and being part of a team musically with an ensemble as I’ve never had that experience!” she said. “The challenge at the moment is pacing my breath and vocal chords for the duration of the song and I will NEVER say musicals are easy from now on! How little I knew!
"I would really like to impress all of the judges. I suppose I have a bit of a thing for Elaine because we’ve now had our masterclass with her and I haven’t met the others yet. I’d like her to think ‘she’s taken some of my notes.’ That would make me pleased."
Joel Dommett
Singing: The Nicest Kids in Town from Hairspray
The comedian and I’m A Celeb: Extra Camp star has previously teased his vocal abilities when he starred as a panellist on Sky 1 music show Bring The Noise – but will he do any better than his (backwards) rendition of Bon Jovi’s Livin’ On A Prayer?
"I want to impress Elaine Paige," he said. "I’ve listened to her for so many years on Sundays. We got on very well. She’s wonderful. I want her to be my mother and my lover all at once!
And his appearance on the show has seemingly given Dommett a taste for the West End stage.
"I have genuinely loved it," he said. "I think it’s so many kids’ dreams to sing a musical at the Palladium and I’m about to realise it, no matter how bad it is."
London Hughes
Singing: Roxie from Chicago
The comedian has always longed to be in a musical, saying it was a dream ever since she was a little girl.
“I used to spend hours in my living room dancing around and performing for my teddy bears,” she said. “Now I get to perform for industry professionals, the Palladium audience and millions of people watching at home! Yep, no pressure then.”
Daniel Brocklebank
Singing: From Now On from The Greatest Showman
We’ll be seeing a whole new side to the Coronation Street actor, who plays troubled former vicar Billy Mayhew.
“My motivation for doing the show was to do something that took me out of my comfort zone,” he said. “Coronation Street is such a wonderful place to work and as a result you feel very safe. You know the cast and crew inside out as we all work together every day. This sort of show breaks all those rules & forces you in to a new situation.”
He added, “I love singing. I sing at home all the time but in 25 years of being an actor I’ve never really used my voice in this way. It’s always good to try something new and push your boundaries."
Amy Walsh
Singing: Don't Rain on my Parade from Funny Girl
The Emmerdale star has musical talent running through her blood, with her sister Kimberley having been one fifth of Girls Aloud, but Amy is no stranger to belting out a tune herself, having performed Would Your Mother Know on the ABBA Christmas Party on ITV in 2015.
Nut Amy teased she could be tempted to try more musical theatre in the future.
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"To be part of a production like this is so exciting and everyone is so lovely," she said. "It gives you a real buzz.
"It’s been really nice to meet new people, being in this theatre, being in London. I have loved it but it’s obviously a lot to take on alongside everything else."
All Star Musicals launches on Sunday at 6pm on ITV.
