{"id":38308,"date":"2023-10-19T17:43:18","date_gmt":"2023-10-19T15:43:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/?p=1911110"},"modified":"2023-10-19T20:56:28","modified_gmt":"2023-10-19T18:56:28","slug":"mamma-mia-i-have-a-dream-judges-meet-the-musical-panel","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/rss_feed\/mamma-mia-i-have-a-dream-judges-meet-the-musical-panel\/","title":{"rendered":"Mamma Mia! I Have A Dream judges: Meet the musical panel"},"content":{"rendered":"

They will be part of the decision as to who gets to be the next Sophie and Sky on London’s West End! <\/p>

By Katelyn Mensah\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Thursday, 19 October 2023 at 15:43 PM<\/p>

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A brand new talent show is taking the theatre world by storm, and those longing for summer nights as it gets colder are in for a treat.<\/p>\n

Hosted by Zoe Ball, Mamma Mia! I Have A Dream<\/a> is taking viewers to Greece as the search begins to find two actors to star as Sophie and Sky in Mamma Mia! on London\u2019s West End.<\/p>\n

The TV competition will see contestants whittled down each week as they are judged on their singing, dancing, acting and chemistry skills by a panel of musical judges.<\/p>\n

As they get ready to lend a hand to a group of West End hopefuls, here\u2019s everything you need to know about the Mamma Mia! I Have A Dream judges.<\/p>

Mamma Mia! I Have A Dream judges<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Samantha Barks<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\"Samantha\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/div>
Samantha Barks for Mamma Mia! I Have A Dream. Thames\/ITV<\/em><\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

Age:\u00a0<\/strong>33<\/p>\n

Instagram:\u00a0<\/strong>@samanthabarks<\/a><\/p>\n

Samantha Barks rose to fame on a show quite similar to Mamma Mia! I Have A Dream.<\/p>\n

In 2008, Samantha came in third place in the BBC talent show I\u2019d Do Anything, which centred around the search for a lead to play Nancy and three young performers who would play Oliver Twist in the West End revival of Oliver!.<\/p>\n

She went on to make her film debut as \u00c9ponine in Les Mis\u00e9rables, which she won several awards for.<\/p>\n

Since then, she has starred in various musicals, including in the London revival of The Last Five Years and as Elsa in the West End production of Frozen.<\/p>\n

Samantha also originated the role of Vivian Ward in Pretty Woman: The Musical on Broadway.<\/p>\n

Talking about being a judge on the show, Samantha said it was \u201cincredible\u201d and \u201cbrought back so many memories\u201d.<\/p>\n

She said: \u201cIt brought back a lot of nostalgia. I took the responsibility really seriously because it\u2019s their lives and they\u2019ve worked really hard to get to here. I don\u2019t take it for granted that I\u2019ve got to be a part of choosing who gets the role.\u201d<\/p>\n

Amber Riley<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\"Amber\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/div>
Amber Riley for Mamma Mia! I Have A Dream. Thames\/ITV<\/em><\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

Age:\u00a0<\/strong>37<\/p>\n

Instagram:\u00a0<\/strong>@msamberpriley<\/a><\/p>\n

Amber Riley is best known for her portrayal of Mercedes Jones on Glee, for which she received several awards, including three NAACP Image Awards, a Grammy Award and three Teen Choice Awards.<\/p>\n

After the show ended, Amber originated the role of Effie White in the West End debut of Dreamgirls in 2016. She won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her portrayal.<\/p>\n

Elsewhere in her career, Amber won Dancing with the Stars in 2013 and has appeared in various British talent shows, including Let It Shine and The Masked Singer.<\/p>\n

Ahead of the show airing on ITV, Amber said she went into the show as herself and approached it with \u201cgood intentions to be encouraging\u201d, as well as offering constructive criticism.<\/p>\n

She said: \u201cI love competition shows, I love watching them. I feel like it was important to me to not only let them know how amazing they are, but also where they can improve and use some of my experiences, whether good or bad experiences that I\u2019ve had, and things that I\u2019ve learned, to help them maybe start on their journey, and make it a little bit easier for them so they don\u2019t have to run into the same pitfalls I did.\u201d<\/p>\n

Alan Carr<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\"Alan\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/div>
Alan Carr for Mamma Mia! I Have A Dream. Thames\/ITV<\/em><\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

Age:\u00a0<\/strong>47<\/p>\n

Instagram:\u00a0<\/strong>@chattyman<\/a><\/p>\n

Comedian Alan Carr is another judge on Mamma Mia! I Have A Dream, whose career had a breakthrough in 2001 when he won the City Life Best Newcomer of the Year Award.<\/p>\n

Since then, Alan has hosted and taken part in various TV programmes including Alan Carr: Chatty Man, RuPaul\u2019s Drag Race and 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown. He is currently the host of Picture Slam on BBC One.<\/p>\n

Alan described the show as \u201cjoyful fun on one of the most beautiful islands you\u2019ll see\u201d.<\/p>\n

He explained: \u201cI just think it\u2019s so colourful, it\u2019s so fabulous, it\u2019s so fun. The show is like a Berocca for me. I think being in Corfu really helps. I liked that we decided who went home. The performances were key\u2026 What\u2019s not to love? It\u2019s lovely.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jessie Ware<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\"Jessie\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/div>
Jessie Ware for Mamma Mia! I Have A Dream. Thames\/ITV<\/em><\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

Age:\u00a0<\/strong>39<\/p>\n

Instagram:\u00a0<\/strong>@jessieware<\/a><\/p>\n

Jessie Ware rose to fame following the release of her debut album, Devotion, in 2012 \u2013 which peaked at number five on the UK Albums Chart.<\/p>\n

Over the course of her career, Jessie has been shortlisted for the Mercury Prize twice, as well as being nominated for six Brit Awards, including Best New Artist and British Female Solo Artist.<\/p>\n

Her most recent album, That! Feels Good!, featured the song Free Yourself, which reached number three in the UK charts.<\/p>\n

Talking about why she decided to become a judge on the show, Jessie told ITV she felt it was time \u201cto do something in TV, and this felt right\u201d.<\/p>\n

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\u201cI said to one of the producers, \u2018I know I can do this and I really would love it,’\u201d she explained.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think because of the aspects of musical theatre, my love of Mamma Mia!, Greece being a very special place to me \u2013 [it\u2019s] where I got married, where I go on holiday \u2013 and the fact that I\u2019m really loving and feeling most confident about being a musician.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis was just a great chance for me to do something different and to experience something new. And I absolutely adored it.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>