Peter Kay’s Britain’s Got The Pop Factor … And Possibly A New Celebrity Jesus Christ Soapstar Superstar Strictly On Ice was a two-hour situation comedy created, written and produced by comedian Peter Kay. The show was aired in two parts on Channel 4 on 12 October 2008, making it the first show Kay has produced on the channel for four years. It has been labelled by Channel 4 as the ‘comedy forefront of the autumn schedule, which will begin a year-long season of programmes’. The title, and general format of the show is a parody of several talent reality television programmes, the most notable being Britain’s Got Talent, Pop Idol, The X Factor, Any Dream Will Do, Soapstar Superstar, Strictly Come Dancing and Dancing On Ice. As well as being the title of the show, Britain’s Got The Pop Factor… And Possibly A New Celebrity Jesus Christ Soapstar Superstar Strictly On Ice is the title of the fictional series the show is based around. The programme was shown in the style of a live final talent show hosted by Cat Deeley[3] and judged by Nicki Chapman, Pete Waterman and Neil Fox (who were also judge panellists in Popstars and Pop Idol respectively). Peter Kay starred as solo artist Geraldine McQueen, a contestant. Jo Enright, Karl Lucas, David Hulston and Sian Foulkes performed as a band 2 Up 2 Down in which the two women were wheelchair users, and Marc Pickering played R Wayne another solo artist. The two hour final exhibited various acts that did not make the final, and the three finalists’ journeys on the show. It revealed their sob stories and the fact that sob stories were the driving force behind which contestants got through to the final. Geraldine McQueen had gone through sexual reassignment surgery after being a male piano player on one of the irish ferrys and 2 Up 2 Down have had a multitude of bad experiences. R Wayne was originally eliminated at bootcamp for not having a good enough sob story but was brought back into the show after his grandmother (R Gran) died from a heart attack from the news of his elimination. Later on in the show, a notable character from the first series of Peter Kay’s Phoenix Nights, Psychic Clinton Baptiste, revealed that R Gran was attending a pub quiz in heaven with Thora Hird and Heath Ledger. The three finalists each performed a live medley after which R Wayne was eliminated. The final two acts then performed their own rendition of “The Winner’s Song”. The winner of the show was Geraldine. She collapsed on stage during the last lines of her version of “The Winner’s Song” from choking on a piece of glitter confetti. The following day Kay, in character as Geraldine, was a guest on The Chris Moyles Show on BBC Radio 1 and revealed that Neil Fox revived her, and she was recovering in an unknown (to her) hospital. R [Our] Wayne sang a medley of “Return to Innocence” by Enigma, “Love Train” by The O’Jays, “Earth Song” by Michael Jackson, “YMCA” by The Village People and “There’s No-one Quite Like Grandma” by the St Winifred’s School Choir. 2 Up 2 Down sang a medley of “We Built This City” by Starship, “Bootylicious” by Destiny’s Child, “9 to 5” by Dolly Parton, “Holding Out For A Hero” by Bonnie Tyler and “Hero” by Mariah Carey. Geraldine sang a medley of “Born to Run” by Bruce Springsteen, the theme to Born Free (perhaps best known as Andy Williams’ version), “Free Nelson Mandela” by The Special AKA, “Umbrella” by Rihanna, “C’est la Vie” by B*witched and “Milkshake” by Kelis. The single “The Winner’s Song” was written by Peter Kay and Gary Barlow and was released on iTunes and in stores on 13 October 2008.| |
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