Where are they now? I'd Do Anything!

Following on from How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria and Any Dream Will Do, the third instalment in the Andrew Lloyd Webber series was I'd Do Anything which searches for the new stars of the musical Oliver!, whilst the show did search for the role of Oliver, the adult and public voting side of the show searching for the role of Nancy. The series to follow was Over the Rainbow (The search for Dorothy). Rival TV shows to these BBC produced series also came up in Superstar (The search for Jesus), Grease is the Word (The search for Danny and Sandy) and Fame: The musical (the search for Nick and Serena). If you are a theatre geek like me, you'll remember these TV shows! And if you don't, you'll certainly know some of the contestants. So, where are they now?

Jodie Prenger

Jodie went on to win the role of Nancy and played it in the revival of Oliver! at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. After playing Nancy she has been seen as The Lady of the Lake in Spamalot (UK Tour), Dolly in the National Theatre's production of One Man Two Guvnors (Theatre Royal Haymarket); the title role in Calamity Jane (UK Tour); Emma in Tell Me on a Sunday (UK Tour); Miss Hannigan in Annie (UK tour), Madame Thénardier in Les Miserables (Asia & Dubai); the title character in Shirley Valentine (UK tour); Kelly in Fat Friends (UK Tour) and Beverley in Abigails Party (UK Tour). She has also appeared in TV shows such as Loose Women, Waterloo Road, Candy Cabs and Casualty. Most recently, she was seen playing Helen in Taste of Honey on its UK Tour and at the Trafalgar Studios in London's West End. @Musicalmissy

Jessie Buckley

After finishing second in the show, Jessie played Anne Egerman in the revival of A Little Night Music at the Menier Chocolate Factory and the Garrick Theatre. After that she went on to train at RADA and has since played Belvedira in Venice Preserv’d (The Spectators’ Guild); Princess Katharine in Henry V (Michael Grandage Company); Miranda in The Tempest (The Globe); Constanze Weber in Amadeus (Chichester Festival Theatre); Perdita in The Winter's Tale (Garrick Theatre). On TV she can be seen in Taboo, War & Peace, The Woman in White and The Lost Post. She has also broken into the movie business with roles in movies like Beast, Wild Rose, Judy, Dolittle, Ironbark and Misbehaviour.

Where are they now? Any Dream Will Do!

Following on from How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria, the reality TV to find the newest star of The Sound of Music at the London Palladium, Andrew Loyd Webber followed it up with Any Dream Will Do. This series searched for the newest star of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. With Graham Norton returning as the host as well as John Barrowman and Zoe Tyler also returning as judges, they were joined by Denise Van Often and Bill Kenwright. Some of the series to follow were I'd Do Anything (The Search for Nancy) and Over the Rainbow (The search for Dorothy). Rival TV shows to these BBC produced series also came up in Superstar (The search for Jesus), Grease is the Word (The search for Danny and Sandy) and Fame: The musical (the search for Nick and Serena). If you are a theatre geek like me, you'll remember these TV shows! And if you don't, you'll certainly know some of the contestants. So, where are they now?

Lee Mead

After winning the show Lee went on to play the role of Joseph from the West End revival of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at the Adelphi Theatre. Since leaving the show his theatre credits include the title role in the Lord Arthur Savile's Crime (UK Tour); Fiyero in Wicked (Apollo Victoria Theatre); Emmett in Legally Blonde (Savoy Theatre); lead vocalist in West End Men (Tour and Vaudeville Theatre) Prince Charming in Cinderella (London Palladium), Caractacus Potts in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (UK Tour) Billy Flynn in Chicago (UK Tour) and The Prince in Snow White (New Wimbledon Theatre). He went on to be a regular character on Casualty, leaving in December 2019. As well as that, he has performed extensively since the show as a solo artist and has released numerous albums, his last in 2018 entitled 'Lee Mead - 10 Years'. 

Lee's Twitter | Lee's Instagram

Keith Jack

Losing out to Lee Mead, Keith still got to star as Joseph, he went on to play the role for three years on the UK touring production of the show, having also played the Narrator previously in the same production. His other credits include Charlie in Only the Brave (Edinburgh Fringe Festival); Alastair in the UK premiere of Sincerely Mr Toad (Pleasance Theatre); Ralph Rackstraw in HMS Pinafore (UK Tour); Sparky in Forever Plaid (St. James Theatre), toured the UK with Joe McElderry in Saturday Night at the Movies. Nick in Fame (UK Tour & Troubadour Theatre Wembley), Ally in Sunshine on Leith & Freddie Fellows in Noises Off (Pitlochry Festival Theatre) and the title role in Aladdin (The Sands Centre). Keith has released two albums, His debut was called This Time and went straight into the Top 40 and his most recent album An Evening at the Musicals was released in 2010. 

Keith's Twitter | Keith's Instagram 

Where are they now? How Do You Solve a Problem like Maria?

How Do You Solve a Problem like Maria maybe a song from the hit musical The Sound of Music, but it was also the title of the 2006 reality TV show which was Andrew Lloyd Webber and David Ian's search to find the next Maria for the new production that would play at the London Palladium. The show was hosted by Graham Norton with guest judges Zoe Tyler and John Barrowman, this was the first series that lead to shows such as Any Dream Will Do (The search for Joseph), I'd Do Anything (The Search for Nancy) and Over the Rainbow (The search for Dorothy). Rival TV shows to this BBC produced series also came up in Superstar (The search for Jesus), Grease is the Word (The search for Danny and Sandy) and Fame: The musical (the search for Nick and Serena). If you are a theatre geek like me, you'll remember these TV shows! And if you don't, you'll certainly know some of the contestants. So, where are they now? 

Connie Fisher

After Winning the reality TV she went on to perform in the West End production of The Sound of Music from November 2006 until February 2008 where Summer Strallen took over the role and she also went on to reprise the role of Maria in the 2009 UK tour of the show. She has released two solo albums, My Favourite Things (2006) and Secret Love (2009). In 2012 she returned to the musical theatre stage to play Ruth in the UK tour of Wonderful Town as well as getting a regular role on Casualty. In 2015 BBC Four broadcast the documentary 'Connie: I Will Sing Again'. The film followed Connie on her emotional journey trying to recapture her singing voice, three years after retiring from public performance due to a congenital throat condition that affected her vocal cords. She is currently working for a production company as a Development Executive, Popular Factual & Factual Entertainment. 

Connie's Twitter | Connie's Instagram 

Helena Blackman 

After coming in second on the TV programme, Helena has had a wonderful career in theatre. She has played Eliza Dolittle in My Fair Lady & Maria in The Sound of Music (Kilworth House); Elsa Schraeder in The Sound of Music (Bahrain Theatre Festival); Linda in Gay's The Word (Finborough Theatre); Lily/Rose in The Secret Garden (West Yorkshire Playhouse); Helen Fogel in Saturday Night (Arts Theatre); Nellie Forbush in South Pacific (UK Tour); Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz (Leicester Haymarket); Gypsy Rose Lee in Gypsy (Millennium Centre, Cardiff); Anna in Bur First This (Watermill Theatre); Millie in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (UK tour); Blue Girl in Shout the Musical (Winter Garden Theatre, Blackpool); Caroline Neville in Titanic (Charing Cross Theatre), the title role in The Snow Queen (Rose Theatre, Kingston) and Vi In Footloose (Dubai). Helena appears in I Hate Suzie on Sky Atlantic as well as Pennyworth for Warner Horizon TV / Epix. 

Helena's Twitter | Helena's Instagram