Television – Dance Direct Blog. News, Reviews & Advice About Dance

I Can’t Sing! Casting Announced

I Can't Sing Full casting has been announced for new Wet End production I Can’t Sing, The X Factor Musical which premieres in Spring 2014 at the London Palladium.

Earlier this year it was announced that Olivier Award-winner Nigel Harman had been cast as X Factor supremo Simon and that Color Purple star Cynthia Erivo and Holby City actor Alan Morrissey had been cast as lovestruck contestants Chenice and Max. Joining Nigel as judge will be Ashley Knight as positive boyband manager Louis and Victoria Elliot as pop queen Jordy. Simon Bailey will play the affectionate X Factor host Liam O’Deary, with Billy Carter as Executive Producer and Simon’s right hand man, Gerard Smalls. Simon Lipkin plays Chenice’s canine sidekick and Joe Speare is her powerful singer Grandad. Along with Chenice and Max, the I Can’t Sing hopefuls include Katy Secombe as supermarket checkout girl Brenda, Charlie Baker as The Hunchback and Shaun Smith and Rowen Hawkins as Irish pop duo Alterboyz.

The I Can’t Sing! cast is completed by Luke Baker, Adam J Bernard, Jenna Boyd, Cyrus Brandon, Gabrielle Brooks, Scarlette Douglas, Kelly Ewins, Scott Garnham, Cherelle Jay, Faisal Khodaukus, Jaye Marshall, Brian McCann, Max Parker, Joseph Prouse, Steven Serlin, Kirstie Skivington, Philippa Stefani, Gary Trainor and Alex Young.

The brand new musical comedy, written by Harry Hill and Steve Brown, will feature 19 original songs, telling the sensational(ised) story of heartache and laughter that keeps millions tuning in to the X Factor every week. Harry Hill has worked with a lot of the cast in the workshops for I Can’t Sing! and have some new company faces. Harry has even commented on the uncanny likeness between Nigel Harman and Simon Cowell, especially with a wig and false teeth!

The Carlton Dance

Alfonso Ribeiro's "Carlton Dance" Eagerly awaited on this year’s I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here was The Carlton Dance, made famous by American actor Alfonso Ribeiro during the hit TV show The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. With the IACGMOOH series now over for 2013, it is clear that the contestants bonded from the off and worked together throughout.

Audiences had to be incredibly patient to see Alfonso’s flawless moves, and perseverance finally paid off. Alfonso both demonstrated and taught the Carlton dance to his I’m a Celebrity campmates, injecting some fun and sun into some of the relatively darker mood days. Alfonso, up to this point, had maintained that there “will be no dance until I am voted out” however he burst into action on the reality show after getting a pep talk from fashion designer David Emanuel.

The campmates joined in with great gusto, with the signature dance moves learnt by Olympic Gold Medallist Rebecca Adlington, reality star Joey Essex and professional dancer Vincent Simone also joining in. Rebecca was particularly pleased that Alfonso taught the dance to his campmates having been desperate to learn the routine. The impromptu dance lessons from Alfonso was a welcome distraction from camp life for the campmates following surprise evictions and rising tensions.

The camp’s efforts at learning the dance were rewarded with some music after dinner, and the campmates looked blissfully happy to hear the Tom Jones classic “It’s not Unusual”, with each campmate performing the routine. Thankfully spirits in camp were restored to a higher level than had previously been seem, but not for long as it was revealed the following morning that Matthew Wright and Vincent Simone were out!

For those of you who don’t know “The Carlton Dance” here it is performed by Will Smith and Alfonso in an episode of “The Fresh Princeof Bel-Air”!

Game Changers

Sky Sports has recently launched an initiative to get more children involved in sport by launching ‘Sky Sports Game Changers’ on Saturday mornings. An both an incentive and an inspiration, the show will feature regular appearances from a host of sports stars and Sky Ambassadors including David Beckham and Jessica Ennis-Hill to persuade children to get active and get involved.

The show also sees Olympic medallist and 2012 Strictly Come Dancing winner Louis Smith MBE learning a new skill: classical ballet. As the first of its kind, Game Changers followed Smith in his attempt to hone the pliés, jetés and even a small performance as part of his challenge, broadcast on Saturday 24 August.

The series began with a live skills session from Sky Sports Living for Sport mentor and inline skating world champion Jenna Downing. As well as live studio skills sessions that get the young audience involved, the sports stars will visit schools and sports clubs. The shows will be supported by downloadable Skill Sheets available from the Game Changers website to help young people learn the basics of a new sport.

Broadcast live in front of a live studio audience of young people, the shows are presented by Olympic Gold medallist Darren Campbell and Di Dougherty with Paralympic wheelchair rugby captain Steve Brown among the show’s reporters. Game Changers will draw on the expertise of many of the 75 athlete mentors who are part of Sky Sports Living for Sport, the free initiative that uses sports skills to inspire young people in a third of all UK secondary schools. Alongside Sky Sports Living for Sport, Sky Ride and the Sky Sports Scholarships scheme, Game Changers is another demonstration of commitment to all levels of sport following the London 2012 Olympic Games.