Comic Relief Does Fame Academy

I was surprised to see Fame Academy make a comeback - even if it is for charity.

If anyone's interested, the original format of the show was bought straight from Europe, where it's been pretty successful (the show's still going strong in France, where it's called 'Star Academy').

But the BBC made some major changes to the format when they bought it, which kind of took the edge off the whole thing. In France, there would be a half-hour 'Big Brother' style show every weeknight where you saw what the students had been getting up to. So you got to know them through the week and then watched the live show on a Saturday night.

That didn't happen in the UK version - so it really just became a poor-man's X Factor with vague claims to public service status ('nurturing new talent').

Format wise it had the best format in it's first season when the judges selected three each week to "sing for survival" and concentrated more on their progression rather than each performance.


Since they changed it for the second series to have all the contestants singing it's just became an inferior version of Pop Idol and subsequently The X Factor.


Are they filming it in the same place as last time? (Not the mansion - it was somewhere in London by Tower Bridge IIRC)

The live stream always makes me laugh. Everything looks so professionally spoilt.

'Oh look how we're all deservedly getting pampered with a cocktail bar and fine foods cooked by chef Jean Christophe-Novelli. Oh and here comes Carrie and David Grant pondering to our needs also. Ohh hang on... I've just remembered... I'm actually nervous about performing on stage tomorrow night.'

Mind you so long as they really ARE doing it for charity thats all that matters.

Unlikely I'll watch much of this but what I *did* notice is that they're doing it from the first floor of County Hall (Thames, London Eye, acquarium etc. - you know the place).

Has that been used as a studio before (e.g. Terry and Gaby show, or was that further along the river?)

This Sunday there is also "Comic Relief does Car Booty" with celebrity contestants

I'm going to assume that is a joke.

Nope!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/cgi-perl/whatson/prog_parse.cgi?FILENAME=20070304/20070304_1845_4220_4111_50

Hopefully that link works...

has any one spoted the trailers for fame acadamy?at the end of it angelica flips over a vinal record where the bbc one circle logo is in the middle, rather a nice idea imo

Oh dear! Lorne Spicer on a Sunday evening? What's the betting Moyles and Aled are part of the contestants.

I like Claudia Winkleman, well i like her column in the Independant and Patrick Kielty i've never much cared for. First impressions are they're okish presenters. I fear Paddy is going to irritate me as time goes on and Claudie has undertones of Davinie.

Ooooh! Roland Rivron is a contestant.

Interesting line up of students...
Oh dear: Tara Palmer Thingy
Should be interesting: Tim Vine

Why is it when i see Chaz has posted i expect to see a big shiny padlock? He's really surprised me he done a Harry Potter and magiced my post. Not that you've ever told me off YET! I'm still waiting for a warning but never had one. I feel left out i have nothing to moan about on MP24/7. I'll never be a true metropolean until have one. It's badge of honour i'll have you know. It's a TVF equivalent of an ASBO.

* stamps feet*

Listening to that Zoe girl. Phew! There's hope for me yet! I seem to have missed the bit where they say who she is. Who is she?