I do feel Kim is there under false pretenses

The eastenders site says:

Kim is a highly skilled singer specialising in jazz, rock and ballads. She has a mezzo-soprano voice.


and that she has had singing roles on stage including playing Polly Peachum in The Beggars Opera.

You can hardly compare the other students with this background. Hardly a level playing field.

I don't have a problem with a professional singer being in there - she is still an acting celeb. But I think that they should be upfront about their past experience, rather than continuing the pretence that 'none of them are singers'. I was pretty disappointed when I read that. Same with Debra having an album.

Is it supposed to be a level playing field? Edith can sing, she's giving Kim a run for her money and making it interesting.

This was posted yesterday. I agree that it's not a level playing field but then that’s evident just listening to and watching them. Some, such as Edith and Kim have done singing in the past (Edith has said she's sung in pubs before on a small scale). Even Ade has an advantage over the others as he's used to performing as he does.

Thanks for that info I didn't know that she had so much experience. She's been my favourite singer from the start and will continue to be but, if she has so much experience over the others, then it does seem unfair.

and what about Edith been in rock bands

Ade was in a band too, come to that.

Steve.

The point is that they are all known for something other than singing, no matter how much experience they have had in the past.

Quite! Fully agree.

Steve.

Yup, she was in a band at school I think. It would have been good to give an overview at the outset as to what singing experience they have. It probably wouldn't have made any difference to the voting, but would have made it easier to compare them more fairly. It sounds like Kim has had a lot of technical training at some point, which obviously gives her a huge advantage over all the others. She still probably would have won anyway though. It's just the pretence on the part of the producers/presenters that's a bit irritating - "Oh my god, they've just found these amazing voices they never knew they had!".

EDIT: Actually out of interest, does anyone know if she sang or played guitar in the band? She seems pretty good on guitar.
Last edited by lisbeth : 10-03-2005 at 12:28

Debra Stephenson won Oppurtunity Knocks when she was 14 doing impressions and singing but thats not been a problem.

what false pretences? I don't see anything, anywhere, that says that contestants aren't supposed to be able to sing.

I thought that the whole point is that it's Comic Relief. It's not a talent contest. They're not there to be the best improved amateur, they're not there to win a record contract, most of them don't even need to boost their public profiles..... they are there to raise money for charity.

What's wrong with having a mix of vocal and performing ability? People are clearly voting for a variety of reasons, some are voting on entertainment value, some are voting for vocal ability. Personally I've voted for Ade every night because I think he's a class act...... does that mean that it's not a level playing field for everyone else because they're not as funny as he is? Surely the important thing is that people vote and help raise money, and on that basis surely it's best to have a range of comic and vocal abilities?

You also got to face the fact that you would be hard pressed to find celebritys (that have probably been through drama school) that did not have to sing as part of their training or to start their career (theatre etc)!

Although I must say, in Kims case, she does seem to have a considerable amount of experience!

Does it really matter? This is not a serious contest - it's a combination of fund-raising and entertainment - and Kim's excellent singing has made a significant contribution in both respects.

Absolutely. I don't understand why people are getting so wound up. (although I'm getting a bit narky myself now... )

What about Will Mellor last year, he once had a recording contract

Surely a bigger advantage than anyone else who has ever been in there!

The point is that Kim definately said that she hadnt "really" sung before.

Why did she feel the need to be so low key about it. Why not just say straight.

I think that it's the fact she does look rather keen to win - as well as being a bit of a ringer. The stuff about her being a highly skilled singer specializing in jazz, rock and ballads. She has a mezzo-soprano voice is also listed on her IMDB entry, which also informs us she is 5' 5¾" (1.67 m). Dammit, I was a centimetre out

Ooh, nasty car accident! I hadn't heard about that.

Exactly.

I would so love to see Reggie do well - but simply because he can't sing - so he gets votes that way as well. A lot of actors would have done some singing in their career, but that's okay.

We could argue that Ade has had a number one and is a truly acomplished performer so he shouldn't be allowed. etc.

We can see who has the best voice - obviously Kim - but we are voting on all sorts of things, intepretation of a song, the feel, the performance, did it move us, did it make us laugh.

We are all being entertained.

"Nine weeks and number 1 and gold in 9 countries."
"You should tell that to Richard Park!"

Priceless last night!

Steve.

That was very funny indeed! I wish he had done.

I've read that Kim's experience amounts to the generic training that she received in drama school along with all the other students, a few weeks singing in a pub theatre and one night singing the Polly Peachum.

Given the title of this thread it has to be said that EE is Kim's only professional "gig" - she got it straight out of drama school. Face it though, it would be unusual if the actors on the show didn't have some kind of singing experience.

These Eastenders actresses do make a theme of hiding any past experience they might have had don't they.

Looking forward to the next series of I'm A Celebrity when they send Michelle Ryan into the jungle not knowing she's trained with the SAS for nine years.