|
| Show 4 - November 15th 2003 (Disco Night) |
| It was Disco Fever Night in the Pop Idol studios tonight and the final seven really found their groove. So did Ant and Dec, we loved their groovy dance moves whenever that word 'D.I.S.C.O.' was mentioned throughout the show. |
| Yes and Pete Waterman looked very flattered when Ant and Dec announced that he has been nominated for a 'Living Legend award'...by Age Concern! |
| Here's tonight's show schedule. Click on a link to read more about that item... |
| The contestants met up with children from the Make A Wish Foundation for a day at the Alton Towers. They had a great day with the children, who are all suffering from life threatening conditions. Sam summed up the feelings of the group, "We've all come back and said we had the most perfect day today, and it really has, it's been amazing". |
| Susanne took the least favoured number one spot with this Candi Staton classic. She really looked the part, dressed in bright pink, wearing kinky boots. She has a unique voice, but there were concerns that it wouldn't suit disco. Did she manage to pull it off... |
| Foxy: I wonder if anyone at home is looking thinking "She does look a little bit like Joanna Lumley?" That's who is you remind me of now, which is good, so my... (groans from audience)... now I think that's a really nice thing to look like! Okay, so were you "Absolutely Fabulous" tonight? Pardon the pun...well you looked great, dressed great, earrings great, lipstick great, I don't think this style of music in really suits your voice, so I hope you don't suffer from the problem that people being first on are suffering from...quite average vocals for me. |
| Susanne: (quietly) Okay...okay. |
| Nicki: Erm, you know you're an individual, you have a very unique style. You're different from anybody else in this competition and that will go in your favour. You knew this week was going to be tough for you, but I think by the end of the track you were actually getting into it. The beginning was... nervous, we could see you were nervous, but by the end of it you were actually getting into it. So not your strongest week! But I still think you've got something unique to offer in this competition. |
| Pete: Susanne I just think it was awful...and I think you... |
| Pete: ...I think you know it was awful. (groans from the audience) I think you just knew... that song does not suit you! |
| Pete: I mean that, I always knew there'd be a problem this week for you. |
| Susanne: So did I...Simon? Bring it on, I can't... it can't be any worse than last week. |
| Simon: Erm, actually to be fair Susanne when I heard it back on the TV is wasn't as bad as I heard here. I've got a feeling however this week may be. I think if you can get through this week, which I think you will because you're so popular, then you've got a great chance. But I do actually agree with Pete, I mean it wasn't great was it ? |
| Susanne: no and erm... yeah...y'know...oh no well we'll see what happens. |
| Simon (to the audience): You know nothing! |
| Susanne joins Ant and Dec. |
| Declan: Was that one person in particular you were talking to Simon, or the whole of the audience? |
| Susanne: Obviously the general public know nothing. Generally no. |
| Susanne: I'm alright. I'm alright. |
| Declan: You've been nervous about this week... for the last couple of weeks. |
| Susanne: Yes, because "I don't do disco!"... (Ant and Dec jump into disco mode, Susanne joins in)... but I did do it and to be honest, you know it's about the worst thing you could have chosen for me (laughing)... ever. And to have just got through it, is enough, well. |
| Ant: Well you can't read it because, well you know, you looked like you were enjoying yourself... |
| Susanne: Towards the end... I've got my mates from Uni here and they're just...(drowned out by audience) |
| Ant: I have to say, I have to say I owe you a fiver cause Foxy didn't mention the boots...I thought he might have mentioned the boots. Everything else he mentioned, but he didn't mention the boots. I'll give you the fiver later on. |
| Declan: Well done Susanne, well done. |
| Declan: We'll see you later on. Susanne everybody. |
| (Ant and Dec both kiss Susanne goodbye.) |
| Andy said his favourite ride at Alton Towers was 'The Nemesis'. "I wasn't scared" he said. A vidoeclip showed him helping one of the children shape some baloons into animals. Andy has a contingency plan, "If pop idol doesn't work out then I'll probably go into balloon sculpting", although Ant and Dec weren't too encouraging. |
| Andy hit the stage semi-casually dressed, in jeans and partly glittered shirt. He looked good, but somehow didn't seem to exude the confidence of recent weeks. He made a decent job of it all the same... |
| Nicki: Well I've been heaping praise and you over the last three or four weeks...I think tonight is tough for you...I don't think you looked as comfortable up there as you normally do when you perform, but you did an okay job. I can't see you wanting to do that type of music after this competition. I think it was okay this week and you've been so good in the previous weeks, I don't think an average performance is going to go against you. |
| Pete: I've got to be honest, I thought you pulled that off rather well. (Cheers) People think that disco songs (a cue Ant and Dec's fabulous dancing!) are easy to sing but they're not and that just proved it but I think you did a marvellous job. |
| Foxy: Andy I always knew this... I wanted to see you do something a bit more uptempo, and it's interesting, Michael Jackson's got a greatest hits album coming out on Monday, his music's back in vogue. Seeing all the old videos you realise what an amazing performer he was. Vocally I thought you were great then, but the performance was a bit lack-lustre. I think you've got to work on the presence on stage... |
| Foxy: ... but I think you'll get through. |
| Andy: I think it's the trousers, they're a bit tight today! (Laughter) |
| Foxy: ... no need to boast! |
| Pete: ...it ain't mediocre! |
| Simon: Pete one of the signs of old age ... |
| Pete: ...don't sit on the fence! |
| Simon: ...one of the signs of old age is that you start to lose your hearing, okay! |
| Simon: Yeah, exactly! No, I thought it was mediocre...you know at this stage in the competition you should be doing better than that...bad choice of song, weak performance, just mediocre. |
| Pete: Well I think you look like a pop star. |
| Andy joins Ant and Dec... |
| Dec: A difference of opinion! |
| Dec: ...difference of opinion... how did you feel about that? |
| Andy: I enjoyed it, the crowd were crazy so, I think I was looking at them more than the cameras... yeah, enjoyed it, it was wicked. |
| Ant: Now er, you know like Dec said, a mixed reaction from the judges there. Simon didn't like it, Pete liked it and he's a 'Living Legend' everybody, so ah... you know it's not a bad thing is it? |
| Andy: Not bad at all, you know I'm pleased that Pete liked it and the others... it wasn't bad. I mean, you know my last two performances I've been really pleased with and I did think... |
| Ant: Was it on the same par as them do you think? |
| Andy: I don't know, I mean DISCO's quite hard isn't it (Dec jumps off his seat to do 'D.I.S.C.O.', Ant has had enough for now!) |
| Ant: Thanks very much Andy! (They all laugh) |
| Andy: I was told not to say that...sorry. |
| Dec: That's alright. Well everybody seemed to enjoy it here and we'll find out how you get on later on. Ladies and Gentlemen Andy! |
| Michelle looked nice in a blue chiffon top. She has continued to lose weight during the course of the competition and certainly looked light on her feet as she sang. Her voice lends itself surprisingly well to disco, and she showed a great confidence on stage. Surely the judges will agree... |
| Pete: Well Michelle, I've got some news for you, you won't need the train fare home to Glasgow this week kid! |
| Michelle: Thank you very much! |
| Foxy: Erm, Michelle I think there's always a danger when you enter into the D.I.S.C.O. era (to Ant and Dec: ) all right boys! (to Michelle: ) that it can become a bit cheesy, but you managed to get away from that. It was by far the best vocal tonight, I think you sang that really well. It's a great record as well, I think that was... Andy's normally chosen great records, I think you chose a great song to sing tonight, well done! |
| Michelle: Thank you very much! |
| Foxy: ...really well done. |
| Nicki: Michelle, I think tonight's proved what a versatile artist you can be, because each week it's a different theme and each week you are delivering and you looked so confident out there, by far the best tonight! |
| Michelle joins Ant and Dec... |
| Ant: A little curtsy at the end there as well! I have to say Michelle after the first week you came on, you didn't get a great response from the judges... the first part of this show and since then like I said you are on a roll, you just keep on getting better and better. Better responses from the judges and everything. |
| Michelle: Thank you very much... erm, I'm just loving every minute of it honestly this is the best time of my life and with each week the stakes are raised and it's getting harder but honestly I have to pinch myself that I'm here and... I love it and I think it's reflecting in my performance because I'm coming out and I want to do it and I want to show everyone. |
| Ant: It looks like you're enjoying yourself when you're up there |
| Michelle: Yeah, I want to show everyone what I can do you know and there's more in me still. There's a plug for some votes there! (Laughter) |
| Ant: no way, plug... that's what this chat's about! |
| Michelle: ...no, and you know obviously it was a bit of a scare for me last week being in the bottom three. So I hope everyone that's out there can... if you like me vote for me, that's what I would say. |
| Michelle: And I'm not going to mention that word boys so you're okay! |
| Ant and Dec: Good, good. good! |
| Dec: Let's send her away before she does Ladies and Gentlemen. Michelle! |
| Before Mark took the stage we saw a clip of him reflecting on the day out with the children from 'Make A Wish'. "It really was a humbling experience to see little kids like that, it was a pleasure, it really, really was" |
| Mark looked reflective as he took the stage....his suit was really shiny! He had a slightly shaky start, but as soon as he got into the main vocal he let go of any nerves and sang it really well. When he finished singing Mark gave the camera a big smile and faced the panel... |
| Foxy: Do I call you Mark or Sammy Sparkle tonight?... look at you, I tell you you've entered into the spirit of things. I must be careful because I know you got your fan club behind me. Erm do you know a couple of weeks ago things obviously changed for you. The first couple of weeks a bit shaky, you obviously had the biggest kick up the arse you ever needed because it's changed you completely. Because you are rocking now! The vocals on that I thought...the verses were really good. It's a great record, good choice, er, a touch of cheese but I hey that's DISCO for you! (Ant and Dec are off again!) |
| Nicki: How can you say 'a touch of cheese' to him? |
| Mark: (referring to his shiny suit) I got it out yer wardrobe!...(laughter)...Foxy, Foxy, I got it out yer wardrobe mate! |
| Foxy: ...and I'll have it back at the end of the show! |
| Nicki: Weakish start...got into your own...fantastic! Once again, well done! |
| Pete: Mark what you've done...I went for a quick pint before the show and every pub around here is full of Wolverhamptoners, it's great, I couldn't understand a word they say these days...you were brilliant mate, busting. |
| Simon: I don't think it was brilliant Pete...(to Mark) erm...you know...no, no...I'll tell you why I say that, because you've got to be careful here that we're judging in two criteria. On the show, yeah, good performance for the show. Is...are you emerging as one of the best undiscovered male vocalists in this country? Not really no, because....and I'll tell you why, because it was all a bit, it was a bit caberet, a bit Butlins... |
| Simon: ... I mean that could have been a redcoat, not a sillvercoat. (Boos) |
| Mark joins Ant and Dec... |
| Dec: Again the same with Andy...a bit mixed...mixed reaction. How does that make you feel? |
| Mark: I thought I did an alright performance actually, to be honest. I felt the love from the crowd. (cheers) |
| Ant: You 'felt the love in the room'? No, let's not start that again alright! |
| Mark: oh, no, no....yeah...but er yeah, I felt ohhh I was loving it on stage tonight, because everybody was like getting up there, DISCO's wicked! (it's that word again! Ant and Dec 'Freak Out') |
| Ant: Ahh...you said!...Too late now. (Seated again) Listen, what was it like, I've got to ask...what was it like meeting the kids the other day down there... |
| Mark: Oh it was brilliant... |
| Ant: ...in the theme park. |
| Mark: ...it really, really was. |
| Ant: ...it looked like they really enjoyed themselves. |
| Mark: Yeah, they was dragging us on all the rides to be honest. We was "Oh noooo...not again". |
| Dec: You were more scared than the kids weren't you? |
| Dec: Well, well done tonight, Ladies and Gentlemen, for the moment...Mark! |
| Sam really enjoyed the day at Alton Towers and overcame his fears of the fun-fair. Would he have any disco fears tonight? |
| Not Sam, he moved well in shiny trousers and blue jacket, and really looked like he was enjoying himself. But would the judges enjoy his performance? |
| Nicki: Sam, this is quite a difficult week to do the 'D' word properly it's tricky and I think you have proven you can do it 'so, so well'. You set the standard tonight. I think you're going to be very, very difficult to beat, and last week you got some criticism for not showing your age, for being, you know a bit average, tonight you've shown you can do something completely different. I think you were fantastic! |
| Pete: Erm, the song was originally a hit for a guy called Mick Jackson, then Michael Jackson in the Jackson Five, and then I had a hit with it with Big Fun. Erm... |
| Simon: I would shut up about that if I were you! |
| Pete: Hey, I made a few bob out of that and he could make a few bob out of it singing 'n all. Well Done! |
| Foxy: Sam people wonder why Pop Idol's such an amazing show. We've got a jacket from Austin Powers, a guy that looks like Jamie Oliver singing a great, it's great telly 'n it? I thought it was really good. |
| Simon: Interesting...this was the song Will Young sang at his very first audition, which he's kept quiet about. Erm, and this could be a sign for you. I think if I had a couple of quid I'd probably stick it on you after tonight to win this competition. |
| Ant: He has got a couple of quid as well! |
| Sam: I'm dying to say it, but I'll not. |
| Dec: Don't say it. Don't say it. |
| Hey: Hey, that's ...that's a pretty good reaction there from the judges. |
| Sam: It is yeah, but I mean...obviously you can't take it for granted, I mean especially last week proves that, still but... |
| Ant: Did that shock you all last week? |
| Sam: It did, that's what we were most shocked with...but it just proves it's anybody's game. This competition is amazing, and everybody's so talented...and these crowd are just wicked! (Cheers) |
| Ant: Well done, you're learning fast...you're learning fast! Well done. |
| Dec: No nobody wants to go home, because you're all having such a great time here aren't you? |
| Sam: We are, it's just the best fun ever....I mean either this...being a popstar or chopping onions? You know, what do you want to do? |
| Dec: Well I know which one I'd go for. Well done tonight... |
| Dec: ...for the moment, Ladies and Gentlemen, Sam! |
| Sam: Cheers, I'll see you later. |
| Last week Roxanne took the infamous first spot, received plaudits from the panel, but still ended up in the bottom three. It could have knocked her confidence but as soon as she hit the stage in her sparkling outfit we knew this girl has all the confidence she needs. Roxanne's vocals were probably an octave too low for her voice but they were still good and as she really performed the song, finishing off with great power and finesse. |
| Pete: Well, Roxanne, taking into consideration your age, you know, this thing about keys is very important, that was in the wrong key, it was too low for you. Which is a shame because towards the end you were really sounding to pick it up...but that bottom part is just to low for you. |
| Foxy: Roxanne, I would say, here I am on a Saturday night and I always look, on Sunday...my Sunday job is to do the charts so tomorrow...Kylie is number one, will Busted beat them? Er Britney and Madonna have got records out...we're trying to find someone here that in a year's time will still be having hit songs, that's what we want to really do, not just beat the others...and I think in a year's time you will be having hit songs, because I think you do sparkle like your dress tonight! But I do agree with what Pete says but I think you should breeze through, and I hope you do, I really do. |
| Roxanne: Okay, thank you. |
| Nicki: Look at you girl, you look fantastic tonight!... |
| Nicki: The one thing, you look like you've been performing for years and years up there and that is so important. You can entertain and with great people around they will sort out all those problems about keys. It's good advice from Pete, listen to it, but you are fantastic. |
| Simon: Yeah, I was...I was really shocked to see you in the bottom two last week...because I think if you went out it would be bad news for everyone. Because at the end of the day, exactly what Neil said, the whole idea of this show is to find somebody who is going to be a future popstar and has probably slipped through the net under normal circumstances. So, in terms of who is the best pop star so far...it's you! (cheers) |
| Roxanne dances over to join Ant and Dec |
| Roxanne: I'm alright. Yeah. |
| Dec: Now all week, I've been having people going to me "How is Roxanne in the bottom three last week...how did that happen?" Has that put any added pressure on you this week. |
| Roxanne: Erm, it did yeah, because I mean, you know you've got to expect to be up there at some point because everybody has to go, but I was, you know because I did get quite good comments last week I was a bit shocked |
| Ant: That was the weird thing about it you got fantastic comments from the judges and then, you know to end up down the bottom there was such a shock to everybody I think |
| Roxanne: It was a bit of a shock, but this week you know, I just thought right I tried to do my best last week, and I think it came across that I've just got to try and do better this week and hopefully I did. |
| Dec: ...well we'll keep our fingers crossed for you. |
| Dec: Thank you for the minute, Ladies and Gentlemen, Roxanne! |
| Before Chris sang tonight we were treated to a clip of his day at Alton Towers. He pulled a really funny face when he was being persuaded against his better judgement to join the children on the 'Oblivion' ride. He's a great character and with those expressions he could probably succeed in comedy as well as he can in singing. |
| Chris looked good on stage, there were no signs of the awkwardness that Foxy alluded to a few weeks ago. As with Susanne, there were concerns that he hasn't got the voice for disco. He had a shaky start but as the song progressed he grew in confidence as his voice grew in power. Was it enough to convince the panel... |
| Foxy: Do you know your roller coaster face is quite like your 'I've just met Elton John' face!... |
| Chris: You noticed the similarities, yeah? |
| Foxy: Erm, I didn't think that started very well at all and I was beginning to go, 'oh my goodness, this could be dreadful'. But I really think it got much, much better. And by the end you were into it, into the groove of the D.I.S.C.O. ...okay...erm, and I thought it ended up okay. A tad unbelievable though for me, that was the only thing. |
| Nicki: Erm I sort of know what Foxy means, but I think you gave it a really good shot this week. You know, you're all trying to be versatile, you're all trying to be a little bit different, to give us a variation, and I prefer you doing something slightly different, but that's the theme of the show and I think you gave it a really good shot and you do have a good voice. I say it every week and I'm going to continue to say it. |
| Pete: Chris, unfortunately I think you should have sung "I'll say a little prayer", because you'll need it mate. (boos) |
| Chris: Okay, fair enough. |
| Simon: Chris, I mean look, you are a great guy and I love having you in the show but I have to say that...no I do because I think you're great fun and you're different and you know I love all that ...but that wins the award for the most peculiar performance of the season so far. |
| Chris: Why is that a bad thing? |
| Simon: Well...maybe it's a good thing, but erm....I honestly don't know what to say! |
| Chris meets up with Ant and Dec... |
| Dec: I think that might be a first. |
| Ant: What...a peculiar performance? |
| Chris: I really don't what he meant by that...'peculiar'? ...I am quite peculiar, so, there you go! (oohs and aahs from the audience) |
| Simon shouts over: We all are! |
| Dec: Erm, how...did you look forward to this week, did you look forward to the D.I.S.C.O.? |
| Chris: Well at the very beginning, I was like 'uhhh', like everybody else dreading it, totally dreading it. But I got into it and I really enjoyed it... |
| Dec: You looked like you were enjoying yourself out there... |
| Chris: Everybody was really enjoying it, and I really enjoyed performing it, I didn't think I would but it was really good. |
| Ant: A little spin at the beginning of the performance there. |
| Chris: They added that in at the end...I was like 'okay?' |
| Dec: ...versatile, so you've enjoyed it... |
| Dec: ...it was better than you thought? |
| Dec: Well okay, glad you've enjoyed it. Thank you very much for the moment. Ladies and Gentlemen, Chris! |
| Chris: Thank you very much mate. |
| To begin tonight's results show we were treated to a preview of the making of the Pop Idol Christmas video which features the final 12 contestants singing John Lennon's 'Happy Xmas (War Is Over)'. It sounded good, and it seems that each performer has their own solo moment on the track. |
| Simon Cowell did a good marketing job "It just sounds right...this record just works... If this isn't the biggest selling single this year, I will eat my hat!". Dangerous talk Simon, that's almost a reason not to buy it, especially after Dec introduced us to your hat. |
| It conjures up a nice image, Simon spitting feathers! However, it did sound pretty good, so Simon may get let off the hook. |
| The Predictions The public verdict was drawing near, it was time to hear the judges predictions. |
| Just before the voting lines closed we were treated to a guest performance from Kelly Clarkson. Kelly's the winner of the first USA Pop Idol show. |
| She gave the best vocal performance of the night with a song from the film 'Love Actually' which premieres in London tomorrow (16 Nov) . Declan congratulated Kelly on her singing "Absolutely fantastic!", she looked almost surprised, which is somehow was a nice reaction to see. |
| She gave the contestants something to aspire to for next week, and let's hope whoever wins this years contest keeps their feet on the ground like Kelly appears to have. |
| The lines close - who will it be? Poor Roxanne wasn't looking too hopeful after hearing the judges predictions, would she find herself struggling again? Chris got the public vote last week after poor comments from the judges. Could he get out of jail again? |
| Ant and Dec picked off the the contestants in turn. Sam...you're safe...Michelle...you're safe...Susanne (waits with a pained expression, her head in her hands)...you're not safe...Mark...safe...Chris...safe. |
| Chris breathed a sigh of relief. This week it's a bottom two instead of three. Who will join Susanne? It's either Andy or Roxanne. Declan announces "Roxanne...(pause)...we will see you next week". |
| Andy joins Susanne centre stage. Both look nervous. Ant checks with Susanne that she's 'alright'. She says she is, but she doesn't look it. The announcement comes... "The person going home tonight is......Andy". |
| What a surprise! Only yesterday morning Channel 4 viewers were told by Boycie, the bookmaker on RI: SE TV that Andy was the favourite to win, and also the least favourite to go out tonight. Andy's comments from the panel were quite good too. He has given good performances in all of the finals, tonight's may have been a little weaker than the previous, but it was still a good one. |
| Perhaps the key to his departure is the old voters syndrome where people think he's so good he doesn't need their vote. That was certainly the view expressed by a shocked Foxy on ITV2's Pop Idol Extra. Another factor is that there was only 5% separating the bottom five tonight, so any dip in voting could be critical. |
| The show's producers must be rubbing their hands together, the show is so tight and they've got a great reason to keep telling people to vote! |
| So it's farewell Andy. It was brave of him to come on the show, considering his boyband past and his showbiz connections. However he has done well on the show and must have every chance of using this experience as a springboard to bigger and better things. |
|
| Go Back |
|