Popstar to Operastar — Season 1, Episode 1: Week 1
Reality • 90 min • 2 seasons, 19 episodes
Episode synopsis
Alan Titchmarsh and Myleene Klass present a crossover singing contest in which eight established pop singers, mentored by mezzo Katherine Jenkins and tenor Rolando Villazon, learn to perform operatic arias. The aspiring virtuosi are Jimmy Osmond, Kym Marsh, Bernie Nolan, Danny Jones of McFly, former Blur bassist Alex James, Marcella Detroit of Shakespear's Sister, Vanessa White from the Saturdays and Darius Campbell - formerly known as Darius Danesh. After their performances, the viewers vote, and one singer is eliminated
About Popstar to Operastar
Popstar to Operastar is a British television programme singing competition based around the training of current pop stars to be able to sing opera. The show began airing on ITV on 15 January 2010 at 9pm. The show is repeated on TV3 Ireland on Saturday evening. The programme is produced by Renegade Pictures. With the show being a singing competition, it featured appropriate judges: Rolando Villazón, Katherine Jenkins, Meat Loaf and Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen. Villazón and Jenkins also mentor the contestants giving them the songs to sing during the live shows. Meat Loaf and Bowen were critic-judges, who talked about their performances. However, after the first series, it was announced that Meat Loaf and Bowen would not be returning as judges. Their replacements were confirmed to be actor and opera-director, Simon Callow and classical singer/violinist, Vanessa-Mae. The presenters of the show were confirmed to be Alan Titchmarsh and Myleene Klass with the non-operatic "Dies Irae" from Verdi's Requiem as the theme tune. However for the second series, Titchmarsh did not return to the show. The winner of the first series was Darius Campbell and winner of the second season was Joe McElderry.