'Any Dream Will Do' on BBC1 next year

[Milky Tears]

The BBC have announced Any Dream Will Do for next year.

BBC announces successor to 'Maria' show
Wednesday, December 20 2006, 10:34 GMT
By Dave West

Andrew Lloyd Webber and the BBC are to hold another reality show - this time to find cast members for a production of Joseph And His Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat.

A new stage production of The Sound Of Music, with the lead role filled by Connie Fisher, winner of How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?, is currently proving a success in London.

Any Dream Will Do, the follow up, will begin with national auditions early next year and be broadcast in the summer.

Peter Fincham, BBC One controller, said: "Joseph is a classic musical known to generations of school children and I cannot wait for the reunion of 2006's most unlikely but successful partnership - Graham Norton and Andrew Lloyd Webber.

He commented: "I think this show will have huge appeal for the BBC One audience."

Lloyd Webber added: "The success of How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria? this summer was a real boost for musical theatre in Britain and I was particularly thrilled with the reaction from school children up and down the country.

"I cannot wait to get them involved in Any Dream Will Do and to get back into the studio with Graham."

He explained that show would find an actor to play Joseph as well as some other roles. "Joseph started in schools and I am looking for a great school choir - to play in the West End, we need a smashing girl, a great boy and of course a Pharoah/Elvis!"

but ITV1 have already hit back with:

http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2...580805,00.html

It's the one that we wanted
December 20, 2006

CHEEKY ITV has nicked the Grease talent search show off the BBC in an amazing 11th hour coup.

The move left Beeb bosses fuming as they were hoping to score their own ratings smash with the reality show.

But now their rivals are to screen the hunt for new stars for the lead roles of Danny and Sandy played by John Travolta and Olivia Newton John in the hit 1978 movie.

It all happened at the last minute when producer David Ian who was on How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria? secretly took the show to ITV.

He has brought in Simon Cowells production company Syco to make next years show for ITV1.

David Ian is reported to have fallen out with Lord Lloyd Webber after they teamed up to co-produce current West End hit The Sound Of Music.

Last night an ITV insider said: We are chuffed to bits we stole Grease from right under the BBCs nose.

With Simon producing, it stands to be one hell of a show.

The winners of the talent hunt will star in the West End version of the musical famous for hit songs such as The One That I Want and Greased Lightning next year.

BBC chiefs last night hit back by revealing they would launch a TV talent hunt for a star to don the technicolour dreamcoat in Lloyd Webbers upcoming musical Joseph.

I think the Grease one will be more popular. They can grease Cowell up, send him backstage and watch him go.

Has Cowell got a new show on ITV1 every week next year? It seems like it. He'll be sticking his moobs through the doors of The Rovers Return next.

He's already got Britain's Got Talent and The X Factor next year. Then there's his work on American Idol and America's Got Talent as well.

Will Britain's Got Talent be going out opposite Doctor Who? Now that Strictly Dance Fever has been axed, will Any Dream Will Do get the slot before Doctor Who. Have I asked enough pointless questions?


More from Digital Spy:

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/article/ds40957.html

ITV reveals new Cowell project
Wednesday, December 20 2006, 15:30 GMT

By Joanne Oatts, Media Correspondent

ITV has agreed a deal with Simon Cowell's production company Syco and TalkbackThames to produce a talent search show, which will find a Danny and Sandy for a new version of musical Grease.

ITV have confirmed that leading theatre producer, David Ian, will be a judge on the show and will also produce the stage show with partner Paul Nicholas.

Simon Cowell said: Weve been thinking about making this programme for years. Grease in my opinion is the best musical of all time and I am incredibly excited to be given this opportunity.

The deal was brokered by Ron Taft on behalf of James Jacobs and Warren Casey, who own the rights to the US stage show. Simon Cowell, Syco TVs Nigel Hall, Siobhan Greene and Georgie Hurford-Jones and TalkbackThames executives Richard Holloway and Claire Horton will be executive producers.

Duncan Gray, controller of entertainment at ITV said: Grease and ITV are a perfect fit - the hunt for the new Sandy and Danny to star in the worlds best known musical produced by the crack team behind the X-Factor.

The news follows ITV's announcement earlier this week that it has signed a three year exclusivity deal with Simon Cowell until the end of 2009.

Thinking about making it for years, my arse! This will be the same Simon Cowell who spent last Summer ripping into 'Maria'. Crack team? Shouldn't that be team on crack!?

How can it be possible to hate Cowell more than I did a decade ago when he was spurting all over Robson & Jerome?

[Pip Madeley]

*pats James*

There, there.

[Simon R]

When I went to see "Joseph" in 1991, Aubrey Woods played Jacob.

And there's a sound bite for ya...