New Andrew Llloyd Webber Oz Talent Search

This has been expected for some time, but it's now confirmed that ALW will be involved in a new BBC talent search show, this time to find a Dorothy for the Wizard of Oz. It will be interesting to see who the eventual choice to fill Rachel's ruby slippers will be.

In the meantime, here is a recent newspaper article:

Andrew Lloyd Webber has kicked off his search to find an actress to play Dorothy in his latest West End venture The Wizard Of Oz.

The musical impresario, who is in the early stages of prostate cancer, will use a televised talent show to find his leading lady, a role made famous by Judy Garland in the 1939 classic film.

And the search will come to Northern Ireland in early January when auditions will be held for the new BBC1 show Over The Rainbow.

A spokesman for programme makers Talkback Thames, which also produces the X Factor and Britain's Got Talent, said that in previous years Lloyd Webber had been impressed with the talent from here.

The BBC show I'd Do Anything saw three local people make the finals. Belfast girl Rachel Tucker and Bangor's Niamh Perry both battled it out for the role of Nancy in the West End musical, while Londonderry boy Gareth Borrow was a finalist in the search for Oliver.

Rachel and Niamh missed out on the Nancy part but the programme gave them a platform to launch their careers. Rachel won a role in the West End musical We Will Rock You and presents BBC NI's The Friday Show with Eamonn Holmes.

Niamh is starring in the West End's Mamma Mia and is to take on a role in Lloyd Webber's Phantom Of The Opera sequel Love Never Dies.

Gareth, meanwhile, lost out on the role of Oliver but landed a part in the same musical, playing one of the workhouse boys.

And the winner of the earlier show How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria? was won by Connie Fisher, who was born in Lisburn.

Lloyd Webber said: "Our previous musical talent searches have provided an incredible shot in the arm for musical theatre in Britain and I can't wait to work with the BBC again in the hunt for Dorothy."

Over The Rainbow will air next year and if you think you could be Dorothy apply now to audition by going to bbc.co.uk/dorothy.

All applicants must have been aged 16 or over by June 26 2009.

Vote For Rachel !!!!

OK so we're still paying off our giant phone bills from when Rachel was in IDA (well me and Andy are anyway), but this vote won't cost you a penny.

Next April will see the 2010 Fate Magazine awards for local personalities and Rachel is one of the nominees.

All you need to do is click on the link below and vote. You'll need to include an email address for validation purposes, and you can only vote once per email address.

Thanks Danielle for the info.

FATE AWARDS VOTING FORM

By the way 'The Friday Show' Episode 4 was shown last Friday and featured Michael Ball and JLS, but for some reason isn't currently available on BBC Iplayer at the moment.

Please don't start me on BBC efficiency, user-friendliness, directors' pay and licence fees!

Thanks to Danielle & Robert for letting me know that episode four is now available on the BBC Iplayer here:

THE FRIDAY SHOW EPISODE FOUR

This episode is likely to disappear this Friday night when the next show is broadcast, so be quick!

The Friday Show Episode Three

More Friday antics with Rachel and Eamon -- this time Rachel gets to sing 'Don't Stop Me Now' and there's a fantastic lavatorial performance from a wee dog. Oh and NI rock band Ash too.

OK I've a couple of complaints for the BBC. First of all why do the shows disappear from the Iplayer after just seven days? And secondly I've had several complaints that viewers outside the UK can't watch them at all. Come on BBC get your act together. This is important stuff.

Click on the link below to watch (quick before it disappears):

THE FRIDAY SHOW EPISODE THREE

The Friday Show Episode Two

This week's show includes celebrity guest Ross Kemp, music from Camilla Kerslake and comedy with Diarmuid Corr, all tagged onto the end of Rachel's superb rendition of the Kings Of Leon's 'Sex On Fire.'

Viewers of a sensitive disposition should be warned that there is also a guest appearance by Eamon Holme's underpants.

Click on the link below to watch the show:

THE FRIDAY SHOW EPISODE TWO

The Friday Show Episode One

So here it is! The first episode of 'The Friday Show' presented by Rachel and Eamonn Holmes.

Kicking off with Rachel's rendition of 'One Night Only', the show includes appearances by the Stereophonics, Nigel Harman from 'Hotel Babylon', Ben from The Apprentice and comedian Stephen K Amos.

I'm going to be honest here -- having seen Rachel singing her heart out on stage in WWRY, I kind of wondered how she would manage the considerable transition to TV presenting. The answer to that is absolutely 'no worries'. She displays a relaxed and friendly presenting style and has an onstage chemistry with Eamon that really works.

But don't just take my word for it. You can watch the entire hour-long show by clicking on this link:

THE FRIDAY SHOW EPISODE ONE

Oh and watch out for the ALW cushion!

BBC Trailer for The Friday Show

Here is the BBC trailer for The Friday Show, featuring Rachel and Eamonn Holmes. It was fairly obvious during last year's Christmas Special, but there's absolutely no doubt even from this little clip that Rachel is a natural presenter.

Hopefully the show will be posted on the BBC Iplayer each week as 'Find Me The Funny' was, and we'll be able to let you watch each show.

A big thanks to Rosie for being on the ball and spotting this trailer on the BBC site.

Click on the link below to watch the trailer:

THE FRIDAY SHOW TRAILER

The Friday Show to start this week

Press Release:

Green Inc Friday Show gets green light

Public broadcaster BBC Northern Ireland has commissioned Green Inc Productions to make a primetime entertainment show for Friday nights.

The Friday Show will air Fridays at 21.00 from October 23, and will be presented by Eamonn Holmes with Rachel Tucker. It will feature "an energetic mix of entertainment, with music performances from some of today's biggest chart acts," as well as audience games and stand-up comics.

Mike Edgar, executive producer for BBC Northern Ireland, said: "Friday night is a point in the week when everyone, no matter what age, is ready to sit down, kick back and have a laugh. Hopefully, The Friday Show will satisfy that itch, with something for everyone."

Stephen Stewart is exec producer for Green Inc Productions.

Find Me The Funny Episode Six

The final episode of 'Find me the Funny.' Click on the link below to watch:


FIND ME THE FUNNY EPISODE SIX

Update From Rachel!!!!

Hello! Whats the craic?-as they say in Belfast! I'm only here not even a week and Guy's already finding my Belfast brogue hard to understand!! Well, not in my writing I hope!

Mrs Retallack!! Can you believe it? I'm a married woman and I'm loving it! We had the day of our lives on Thursday 24th September and the honeymoon that followed was to match it! Thanks for coming down David and supporting!

Well the rain stayed off and the sun came out and we danced till dawn an we drank the bar pretty dry!-WE LOVED IT! I just didn't want it to end! People said it will go so quickly but Guy and I decided that it wouldn't so every hour or so we checked the time and sat back to watch all our friends and family come together and have a great time! So thanks to all the guests who made a massive effort for coming from all over to be with us on our special day. I think you'll agree it was well worth it!



Ah Ha! You have found out all about my "In the pipe line" quote! Yes I've just done a pilot for The Friday Show which is being filmed in Belfast. Its a new weekend show for Northern Ireland and I'm co-hosting with the very lovely Eamonn Holmes. Well the craic was 90! We had such a laugh doing it and it was very nice to see such great support in the audience, not only my friends and family but one of the bloggers, Victoria and her friend were right, slap, bang in the middle of the front row cheering me on and even 3 of my old school teachers turned up to show support!

It was my first time presenting anything or reading from an auto cue or having to interview someone-it really was all very new and exciting even a bit scary! Then on top of that having to make it look like I've been doing it for years and with one of the best TV presenters in the business, so I really was playing catch up! However there was a lovely comparison to the feeling of being in the studio for I'd Do Anything-I get to sing a the opening song each week and also I felt even though it wasn't presenting on IDA, it did give me a huge insight and head start for co-hosting and i was very thankful of that this weekend! But it seemed to go pretty smoothly and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. There were a few hic-ups but that's the whole reason for a pilot and I must say I'm so excited about getting in to the studio and doing it all over again next week! Were having some AMAZING guests on the programe along with huge bands, some very funny games and there is even £5000 up for grabs for a member of the studio audience! So here goes for the next six weeks and chat soon x

Interview With Ashley

I thought it was worth featuring this interesting WOS interview with IDA finalist Ashley Russell. As we reported earlier in the year, Ashley joined the touring production of 'We Will Rock You' and in this in-depth interview she talks about her role in the show, reminisces about her time on IDA and mentions Rachel's wedding in this section:


''Who’s your best friend from the process?
I’m very close with Rachel Tucker whose wedding I was at 2 weeks ago. She was in We Will Rock You in London. She just got married in Belfast: so Jessie Buckley, Niamh Jennings, Samantha Barks and I went over on some ridiculously early flight and had a great night. I’m very close with Jessie and very close with Jodie.

How did you cope with competitive element of the show: being friends with the other contestants whilst pitted against each other?
The only other people in the world at that time who knew how you felt were these girls. They’d also picked people who were so unbelievably different there was no comparison. You didn’t get to choose any of your songs which was a bit rubbish. I can sound amazing doing one song but if you pick one that’s not right for me, it can sound crap. So if somebody got their song, in their perfect genre every week, and you were getting the one that wasn’t, it wasn’t your fault. You just play the game. We all bought into that and all made a pact that we were a team.''

You can read the full interview by clicking on the link below.

ASHLEY RUSSELL INTERVIEW