BBC bosses axe big budget talent show after just one series
IT was mooted as the old person’s version of The X Factor and now the BBC show Rock Till We Drop has gone the same as the ITV talent show.
The programme aired last year and went in search of veteran singers and musicians over the age of 64 to form a group that would play the main stage at the Isle of Wight festival.
But after one series on BBC Two, which was fronted by Spandau Ballet star Martin Kemp and Lady Leshurr, bosses have decided not to bring it back.
A TV insider said: “This was a talent show with a difference, because it gave people who had a gift a second chance to let it shine.
“Whether it was down to illness, family, tragedy or just bad luck, many of those taking part hadn’t had their dreams of becoming a performer realised.
“The only criteria they had to meet was that they were at least 64 years old — and in many cases they had applicants on the show who were far older.”
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Martin and Lady Leshurr were hosts and mentors, who spent almost two months forming a group each made up of six or seven singers and musicians.
It was Martin’s seven-strong group, including co-lead singer Jimmy, 72, that went on to win, with the youngest members being Leburn, a guitarist from Bath, and singer Carmen from London, who were both 64.
The eldest was drummer Roy from Bedfordshire, who was 95.
Other experts popped up during the series, including Strictly star Fleur East as well as Loose Women star and soul singer, Mica Paris.
The BBC insist they only ever intended the four-part show to be a one-off but it was clear that they could have brought it back year after year with a fresh batch of hopefuls.
A spokeswoman for the show confirmed: “There are no current plans for Rock Till We Drop to return.”
INSIDER TIPS FOR KELVIN
KELVIN Fletcher has revealed he got fanmail from prisoners dishing out advice.
The former Emmerdale actor had bags of letters from lags, mostly telling his tearaway character Andy Sugden to keep on the straight and narrow.
The 2019 Strictly winner said: “I received letters from a number of people serving time in prison who wanted to give me – or rather Andy – advice before my life went off the rails for good – ‘Don’t end up doing a ten-stretch like me’. ‘You’ve got a chance to do things differently if you change right now’.”
He quit the ITV1 soap in 2016 and stars in BBC reality show Kelvin’s Big Farming Adventure with his wife Liz.
But Kelvin wasn’t the most popular cast member when it came to fanmail.
He adds in his book, Fletchers On The Farm: “Steve Halliwell, who played Zak Dingle, got the most. His pigeon hole was constantly full.”
Ross Kemp's dragged up
AS EastEnders alpha male Grant Mitchell, he was partial to a leggy blond or brassy brunette - so Ross Kemp got a touch of the deja vu making the new series of his gameshow.
Bridge of Lies is heading to Saturday nights for a celebrity special and for this week’s opening episode he’s joined by stars of RuPaul’s Drag Race.
Each week a new team of themed celebrities will appear, starting off with a soap stars, followed by Noughties’ girlband favourites next week.
On being BBC1’s new “Mr Saturday Night”, Ross says: “if you’d said to me five years ago that I’d be hosting a BBC1 Saturday night quiz show, I’d have told you to stop drinking – but here I am.
“The great thing about doing a quiz show like this is you can’t pretend you’re not having fun.
“You can’t change too much in the edit – it just happens as is – and I particularly love that aspect of it.”
And on his new title, he adds: “Mr Saturday Night?! Oh I’m not sure about that.”
It might be a good drag name, though, should Ross ever feel adventurous…
WRITER’S HOPE OF DEL FINAL
ROCK & Chips star James Buckley has revealed there was one more episode of the BBC Only Fools And Horses prequel planned before writer John Sullivan’s death.
The actor said John, who died in 2011, was keen to “tie everything together”.
James, who played a young Del Boy, added there was also talk about revealing what Del’s mum said on her death bed, which was a recurring topic.
He added: “John was really keen to write one more to tie everything together between the prequel and Only Fools.
“Sadly, John died just before the third episode of Rock & Chips came out.”
BREKKIE RIVALRY REMAINS
DAN Walker and Piers Morgan made sure there was a healthy rivalry between the BBC1 and ITV1 morning news shows.
While the pair no longer spar on social media after taking up jobs on Channel 5 and TalkTV respectively, the current BBC Breakfast and Good Morning Britain hosts are still locking horns.
BBC’s Charlie Stayt believes two strong shows battling against each other brings out the best in them.
He said: “Competition is great. I don’t think any morning TV programme is arrogant enough to think the whole audience only wants to see them. But we stick to our ethos, and it resonates with our audience.”
GMB is trailing its rival since Piers’ departure, despite show favourite Susanna Reid staying put.
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She joined from the Beeb in 2014, after BBC Breakfast moved from London to Salford.
Of the re-location, Charlie’s co-host Naga Munchetty added to Radio Times: “It’s a good thing to be spread across the UK and hear different accents.”