I am upset she went out - I know she was a bit weak but I thought she would grow if given a chance and despite going against the general view here - I could see her as Nancy. It would be interesting to know who she was up against in the sing off.

i could see her as nancy as well but probably because of the most recent nancy in the television adaptation of oliver on tv

Feel sorry for Francesca if it's her.

Hope it's Rachel or Niamh, expect it to be Keisha though.

Have you forgotten SCD and the massive sympathy vote for Fiona Phillips, Kate Garraway Christopher Parker and Julian Clary et al.


If it's Francesca - I will start voting; I do put Jessie ahead of her so far, but Fran is no way sing off material.

I only watch the singing shows.

I think they have got it right the last 2 years and also when Dusty one the other show I thought that was the right decision (though a little engineered)

On BBC those programmes I watch those that are subject to the public vote; SCD and ALW - ITV only DOI, and the odd X Factor when I am very, very bored.

I do think that occasionally the GBP exercise a somewhat warped sense of humour by sticking 2 fingers up at the judges and voting through those who have been most subjected to their sarcasm and cruelty.

Long live those who pay the phone bill and those who show the judges that they really don't have the last word

I wouldn't either Feline .

thanks for the info skreepers
means i thankfully dont have to watch tonight now

No confirmation of who else was in the sing off yet?

If it is Cleopatra I'm sad because I really liked her personality but I don't think she's a good enough singer. Keisha had a bad song (and a bad dress!) but she can sing whereas Cleo has always sounded uncomfortable. I don't think she's put her songs across very well because she's been having to focus on the notes.

Hopefully she's upped her profile and it will help her career. I like these shows because the people in the last 12 have a good chance of progressing their careers even if they don't get very far in the competition.

I don't think anybody will be paying £50 to see any of these people, since the joy of Oliver (as a production) is that it's a real cast effort - there's Bill Sykes, Fagin, Dodger, Nancy, Oliver.

It's not like Joseph ... where Joseph had to be outstanding, or The Sound of Music where Maria also had to be outstanding.

In this, people will pay to see Rowan Atkinson, whoever is cast as Sykes, and just have the added bonus of having a Nancy they know and one of the cute kids they've seen develop on the TV screen.

I don't think any of them are stand out brilliant but thought Cleo was a lot better last night than in week one. Tara is beyond terrible. Can't sing in tune and absolutely no expression at all.

I liked Cleo and preferred her performance to Niamh's tonight. I was a bit mystified by the judges' heartfelt praise of Niamh and more lukewarm reception of Cleo, who I thought tackled her song with great elegance and panache. I'd really like to know who the other girl in the sing off was.

I (almost) 100% agree with your conclusions. Niamh screeched her way through the song and I couldn't understand the huge praise for her.

Mind - I did understand the lukewarm reception of Cleo. I think she could have improved and was endearing... but her voice over the past 2 weeks has not sounded equal to the task.

I'm a bit gutted. Cleo was definately in my top 4... I think it was her personality that was endeering. I can understand why she went if whe was in the sing off against the likes of Jodie or Jessie [neither of whom I could envision in the bottom two, but it's the GBP we're talking about here...!], but last night Cleo was SO much better than Tara, Keisha and Samantha, at least!

Oh well, I'm still supporting Jodie all the way Just glad it wasn't her!

Agree with all of this. Last week I had Jodie 1st; she was outside my top 3 this week - but then her 'flu and poor choice of song should be taken into account.

Cleo was 3rd for me - I really liked her and although she might not exhibit the feistiness of Nancy, last night, imo, she was streets ahead of Tara, Keisha, Samantha, Ashley and Rachel.

I thought the bottom two should have been from Tara, Keisha and Ashley - but then what do I know anyway. I'm sure there are those just as puzzled by my preferences as I am by theirs.

I would also agree fully with this assessment .

I liked Cleo very much and she was in my top 4 too .

I am absolutely sure the winner will be , like Connie and Lee, professionally trained and have worked on the stage already .
so why the pretense of finding new , untried talent ?
I feel Kevin Spacey hit the nail right on the head ; I have always thought these programmes were just one prolonged advert.


Just one point .......Ignazio, ALW chooses the songs , not the competitors .
I think it is definitely a way of him helping to removing the ones he wants out of the show

Isn't that what I said
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/forums/s...4&postcount=13

Do you think that perhaps he was hoping Keisha would end up in the bottom 2 and he would have the opportunity to remover her?

The reason 'Pros' have won the last two competitions is that they stood out as great performers! Simple as! The GBP thankfully knew real talent when they saw it and didn't fall for 'the nicest/most endearing' contestant or 'the contestant with the best sob story'!

I think we have to be realistic here - IDA (and its predecessors) aren't 'X-Factor' - they are a televised casting process, and it's usually the case that the more experienced contestants are the ones who handle the pressure of performing on live TV week after week better. They are used to learning lines/songs very quickly, because they have been doing that for years - whereas some girl who has never performed before in her life is going to take time to get used to all that - time which the public may not give her if her performances in the live shows aren't very good.

It's not a conspiracy to deprive inexperienced performers of the chance of winning - it's just the reality of casting from a group of contestants who are of mixed experience and ability.

I liked Cleo, in fact I would say she should have been way in front of Keisha or Tara. I couldn't see her as Nancy but imho she should have made it to the last four or five. I can't decide what ALW was doing giving Keisha such a big song to sing in the second week, did he think she was better than she is or did he want her out.

I think this is what 'did' for Cleo. Given longer preparation time with intensive training, she'd have had a chance; but she produced weak performances for 2 weeks running. I think that others were weaker, but others had more identifiable 'block' votes to rely on, as someone mentioned on another thread.

I haven't yet located who she was up against in the bottom 2, but there can't be that many that would stand that far ahead in a head-to-head contest...?

I'd also say that neither of the 'pros' in IDA come remotely close to Connie or Lee. Such 'superior' talents as they possess may appear later, but the earlier 2 shone from day one (which is surely when experience should show most?) Mind: the judges seem able to see their talents ver clearly, so who am I to disagree? (except that I do...)

I am very sorry , I misread a name obviously

Yes I did wonder that about Keisha .

If you check through the biographies . most have trained and /or have peforming experience ; 2 trained at the RA, 2 at Mountview etc . In fact only 3 have no stage school training .

I don't think it's wrong that the winner is trained , I think it is inevitable .

Do we still not know who was in the sing off with Cleo ?

Not that I can see... Means that I may have to watch tonight

and that is also why I think many X Factor and Popstars/Pop Idol stars can easily stand up to the pressures of West End auditions, win through against trained people with experience and learn so well "on the job. Sadly whenever they do, everyone says they only got the role because they were a name to put b*ms on seats.

I liked Cleo and I'm sorry if she has been cut.