That'll teach 'em ... Hairspray: The School Musical. Photograph: Sky
Having put Joseph wannabes through their paces with Andrew Lloyd Webber, Denise van Outen has a new dream: to spread the joys of musical theatre to the youth of the world via Hairspray: The School Musical.
The kids of Kingsmead school, Enfield, are auditioning for roles in their own production of the smash-hit musical. And yes, there are the usual personal sob stories, soliloquies on the importance of cherishing one's dreams and formulaic narrative arcs (will Billy-Jean's mother be convinced to allow her to come to the rehearsal? Of course she will). All of which are familiar to viewers of The X-Factor, I'd Do Anything and Any Dream Will Do.
But where Hairspray: The School Musical triumphs is the vibe of authenticity pulsing through - even when the kids are spouting the same old stories and singing the same old showcase songs. Lee Mead went on to date Van Outen, but I didn't notice him handing his phone number to her during Any Dream Will Do, as Kaydn and Kyle did.
Adorable 12-year-old Alex is convinced he's the school heartthrob and has what it takes to play leading man Link Larkin, but where innocently deluded individuals are invariably mocked by the judges on other shows, Van Outen and her fellow presenters are genuinely fond of him and let him down gently. These aren't stage-school kids or professionals who've been through the rounds of rejection countless times: they are ordinary high-schoolers who are giving performing a go.
There are one or two cringing moments where you think that it's veering towards becoming too professional and polished for a school show - such as when the hardened Broadway production team dismiss one boy for the role of Link on the basis of him not looking like a matinee idol, and bring up a concern that the main contender for the lead role of Tracy Turnblad isn't light-skinned enough.
But talent will out: Will gets the fantastic character role of Corny Collins and Saadet will step into the limelight as leading lady Tracy. The show is a joyous riot of musical theatre shenanigans, free of the baggage that comes with casting roles in professional productions. That's why Hairspray is the ideal choice for this format.
After all, John Waters, the auteur who created the original film, said he hoped it would become a school staple, simply so "the fat girl and the drag queen will get the starring parts". And even being shoehorned into a reality TV format that's becoming slightly stale can't stop the beat.
