You are so right - I'm actually getting quite fatigued by all these reality shows - Christopher Biggins victory in IACGMOH; Apprentice candidates surviving because they are nasty and bitchy and, of course, the Blue Peter cat.

It beats me why anyone would believe these programmes are not fixed. Of course ALW and Cameron McIntosh are not going to entrust the choice of a lead in the West End to Joe Public. So sit back and enjoy the machinations as Rachel is swept to Nancyville.

i had the final four as
Jessie, Jodie, Nancy and Fran, with Nancy and Fran being the last two standing.

i agree only because of what i saw with HDYSAPLM...Zoe really loved Siobahn I thought, but David Ian and ALW knew Connie was going to win. just a feeling I had. Helena didn't have a shot.

Abi should have been in the final, but oh well. I didn't see enough of Joseph to see it, but Lee seemed like he was going to be the clear winner.

If anyone is interested about Ashley winning the Nancy role.You can get a price of 20/1 from the bookies.

I think Rachel has a good chance of winning because she is talented and I think she has shown consistent performances. There's no need to assume cloak and daggers or Machiavellian plots. Sometimes, the most experienced wins because they have skills culled from previous performances. Maybe ALW and CM saw she was great because she's good.....

I agree but I ask again why did JB say he had to fight for her to get in? who did he have to fight with i wonder? he said this on the first or second live show.

It will be the rest of the panel generally - when it comes to picking the final 12 after the auditions, each of the judges will have their 'favourites' that they think should make the final 12 and so if there are conflicts between these 'favourites' then the judges basically have to fight it out among themselves to decide who they get to keep in the final 12

The same thing happened in ADWD - there was one spot left open and there was a choice between Ben and (I think) a couple of others (any help here Angels?!) and JB fought for Ben to be included in the final 12 and despite the other panel members' initial reluctance, he managed to get Ben through to the final 12, and he made it into the Semis

Oh yes and I remember the whole Siobhan, Emilie thingie.

Makes you wonder how talented the rejected people were. Ben is doing Hairspray at the West End now, isn't he?

Yep he is currently playing Link Larkin in Hairspray - had the honour of seeing it with some of the Angels back in October and he was fab then, but from all accounts he has gone from strength to strength and got even better!

It horrid how she was treated and Im only hoping this week the public pick up their phones to prove ALW wrong again! Like his choice in Rachel its sooooooooo WRONG!

I've always respected Zoe Tyler and she thinks Ashley is a stand out.

Zoe Tyler - Bitchy or Professional?
Thursday, April 17th, 2008
Zoe Tyler’s column is out today in the Stage newspaper and my, my, my she certainly doesn’t hold back if she doesn’t like someone. I find her comments a bit more bitchy than professional to be honest, which leads me to believe she still might be a bit bitter about not being a judge. Tyler starts off with a bit of brown nosing by saying “This week’s show opened with A Fine Life and Graham Norton - one of the nicest men in showbiz - joined in”, I don’t really get why she’s thrown in the “nicest man” comment as it seems a bit random.
She swiftly moves on to describe Francesca as sharp, Rachel as “throwing herself around the stage” and that Keisha sang completely the wrong interpretation of The Lady is a Tramp. Tyler also mentions the fact that she struggles to like Jodie and calls her a little false - ahem Zoe did you actually watch Saturday nights performance? Jodie’s last performance was outstanding, one of the best of the night.

In her eyes Ashley seems to be the front runner saying she was “vocally flawless, beautifully acted and truly stole the show” - at least we agree on the fact that Ashley was incredible, but I don’t see her as the winner just yet.

excerpt from
http://blog.show-and-stay.co.uk/talk-about/theatre/
(half way down the page, and this was about two weeks ago, so don't know if her mind has changed)

ive said from day 1 ashley is the dark horse i love her

and i love her too..ALW hasnt put me off her..i thought her sing off was amazing...so beautiful.she would be an amazing nancy.if they stop giving her duff songs..
but then they know she would threaten their chosen ones...

If Ashley doesn't make Nancy then I think she would be great in Mamma Mia. I just saw it for the first time tonight and I think she would a great Sophie.

songs really shouldn't have anything to do with it, if you can sing, people should vote on the voice and not on the song choice. if one blames it on the song i think it is a lame excuse. i listen to the voice anyway.

^ Its not all about the voice though, acting is VERY important in a role. Personally for me, I rate acting above singing every time, because if I don't believe someone as a character, I won't like the show. I'd rather have an amazing actress with a great voice, that an amazing singer with alright acting skills. Ashley is VERY underrated as both an actress and a singer.

I'm not a fan, but I felt a bit sorry for Ashley this week - unlike the panel, I thought her performance was much better than last week's. I don't think she'll get the part and I don't want her to, but I think she's had some very harsh criticism, while Niamh, who I think is equally inappropriate, is endlessly praised to the skies.

I love her so much, I sound like a stalker, but shes amazing. And a lovely perosn too

Ashley isn't Nancy for me, she has a lovely voice but it kind of ends there (well I think so). I don't 'get' a lot from her.

totally agree superstar..lets face it.the idiots on that panel have been briefed to get rid of her because shes a threat.but we know shes great and in a rightful world shed have been praised for her lovely performance tonight.
Last edited by bluejools : 27-04-2008 at 00:07

AWL doesnt rate her..........Ashley wont get it

I agree bluejools, her acting is great IMO, especially Winner Takes It All

and that is dead wrong..who the hell is he and a panel of c grade performers to tell us who is good and bad.anyway he likes the mediocre bland performers every time.silly old fool.

LOL.

Casper is right though, shes gone next time shes in the bottom

I'm afraid to say she is simply too plain to play Nancy.