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±«Óãtv One announces hosts and panel for Last Choir Standing
Nick Knowles and Myleene Klass are to co-host ±«Óãtv One's new weekend entertainment show, Last Choir Standing.
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They will be joined by a panel of music experts – Russell Watson, Sharon D Clarke and Suzi Digby – as they scour the country for choirs that combine the power, passion and performance necessary to be crowned the nation's favourite choir.
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The show will see Myleene return to her first love, music. She began playing the piano and her grandfather's violin at the age of four. She studied Voice at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, before winning a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music where she later graduated.
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She continues to be a prominent name in the music world, with a top-three solo album to her name.
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Nick Knowles is well known to TV viewers as the host of DIY SOS and City Hospital. A talented presenter, producer and director, he has also presented the National Lottery gameshow Who Dares Wins.
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Never one to shy away from a challenge, he went to Nairobi for Comic Relief and presented a heart-rending report from Zambia for Sport Relief.
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Myleene said: "I'm really excited to be involved in Last Choir Standing and the search to find the nation's favourite choir.
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"We're going to be seeing such a wide range of choirs with different styles and personalities – there will definitely be something to suit everyone's taste."
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Nick said: "The public will be treated to some fantastic performances from all the choirs, and it will ultimately be up to them to decide who will be the Last Choir Standing.
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"This will be entertainment television at its best – getting the whole country involved."
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Myleene and Nick will be joined by a dynamic panel of experts who will be on hand to offer their opinions on the competing choirs.
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After a period out of the limelight due to ill health, Last Choir Standing heralds the return of much-loved tenor Russell Watson to primetime television.
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Russell was the first British male singer to take the number one spots in both the UK and US classical charts simultaneously.
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Having sold more than seven million albums worldwide he has enjoyed number one success in both the British and US charts, and is credited with opening opera to a much broader audience.
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Sharon D Clarke will join Russell on the judging panel.
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Best known for her role as Dr Lola Griffin in Holby City, Sharon originated the role of the Killer Queen in the stage show We Will Rock You, for which she won the What's On Stage Best Supporting Performance Award, alongside an Olivier nomination.
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She is passionate about choral music and was recently on the judging panel for the Opal Choir Project which saw 300 children from 10 inner-city secondary schools performing at the Royal Albert Hall.
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Suzi Digby OBE – choral conductor and principal of The Voices Foundation, which she created – completes the judging panel.
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Suzi has an international reputation as a conductor, and is a regular judge at choral festivals and competitions, including ±«Óãtv Radio 3's Choir Of The Year and the Coleraine Music Festival in Northern Ireland. Suzi is the choral guru and is determined to get the whole country singing.
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Last Choir Standing starts on ±«Óãtv One in June 2008.
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From 60 choirs at the auditions, the panel of judges will decide which 15 will go through to the studio heats.
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Six choirs will then make it through to the live shows where the judges and the public will vote each week for who they want to save until there is only one – the Last Choir Standing.
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Last Choir Standing is a ±«Óãtv Vision Studios production made by the team behind other ±«Óãtv hit entertainment shows including Strictly Come Dancing, I'd Do Anything and Any Dream Will Do.
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Executive Editor is Martin Scott, Executive Producer is Moira Ross and Series Producer is Clodagh O'Donoghue.
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Notes to Editors
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Last Choir Standing was previously announced under the working title of Choir Wars.
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