Jodie Prenger
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| Jodie Prenger | |
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| Born | Jodie Prenger 12 June 1979 Blackpool, Lancashire, England |
| Occupation | Actress, Singer |
| Years active | 2006–present |
| Domestic partner(s) | Steve Greengrass (2008–) (engaged) |
Jodie Prenger (born 12 June 1979 in Blackpool, Lancashire) is an English actress and singer. She was the winner of BBC talent show-themed television series I'd Do Anything on 31 May 2008.[1] She was also the winner of the second series of The Biggest Loser on Living in 2006.
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[edit] Background
Prenger was educated at Elmslie Girls School in Blackpool[2] and Blackpool and The Fylde College before starting work in the area as an entertainer.[3] She has performed extensively on the cabaret circuit in Northern England and particularly her hometown of Blackpool and Fylde coast where she has also worked as an Agony Aunt.[1] In June 1998 she appeared in two different shows each night in two Blackpool theatres. First she had a solo spot in the Tiptoes Summer Spectacular at the resorts Opera House theatre before appearing 20 minute later in one of the principal roles in a Blackpool and The Fylde College production of the musical comedy, Hot Mikado at the Grand Theatre.[4]
Her first appearance on television came in 1999 when she appeared on A Taste for Travel on Granada Television alongside her mother. In 2000 she took part in the Dale Winton show The Other Half on BBC1 in which she had to pretend to be the wife of boxer, Chris Eubank. Later that year she played the role of the good witch Hurricane in a non-skating role in Halloween Spectacular On Ice at Alton Towers in Staffordshire. In 2001 she spent eight months as one of four principals in a team of 19 entertainers aboard the Disney Wonder cruise ship.[4]
[edit] The Biggest Loser
Prenger won the second series of The Biggest Loser in 2006, starting the show a size 26 and weighing 18st 2lbs. During the series, she lost over eight stone and slimmed down to a size 10 before settling at a size 14/16.[5] She won £25,000 for winning the series.[6]
[edit] I'd Do Anything
Prenger was the winner of I'd Do Anything, announced on 31 May 2008, and she will now go on to play Nancy in a West End revival of the British musical Oliver! at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane.[1]
Prenger attended auditions for the show in Manchester in January 2008, and made it through to the final 42 at "Nancy School"[7] from where she was eventually chosen as one of the twelve finalists to perform in the lives shows each week.
After her performance of "Chasing Pavements" in the first live show of the series, Prenger was installed as the joint favourite to win. Panelist John Barrowman said, "I love you to death, you connected with everyone and told the story – that's Nancy!" Denise Van Outen said "Nancy needs to have a lot of life experience and I see that coming through in your performance. It was brilliant". Barry Humphries who had played Fagin in the original Lionel Bart stage production, said "You've got that toughness and also a tenderness. A beautiful performance." And head judge Andrew Lloyd Webber said that Jodie could "absolutely play this role."[8]
In Week five Barry Humphries said that Prenger was "destined for the West End",[9] and in Week Eight John Barrowman labelled Prenger his "perfect Nancy".[10]
In the week leading up to the final in week ten, the Nancy finalists posed for publicity pictures recreating some of Madonna's iconic images. Prenger posed in a wedding dress to recreate the cover of the album Like a Virgin.[11] She was also installed as the favourite to win the show. On 30 May, Andrew Lloyd Webber revealed that Theatrical producer Cameron Mackintosh, who will be producing the show in the West End, and who joined the panel in week nine, was concerned about her curvaceous figure saying, "Cameron thinks she is a bit too big and has more or less said so". However, Webber defended Prenger, saying that she had both the vocal talents and personality for the role, saying "Jodie could be anybody's idea of Nancy - I can see it absolutely. She has got a lovely voice and a super personality. She has experience as well." [12]
In the Final on 31 May Prenger performed a total number of seven songs including her performance of "As Long as He Needs Me" after she was announced as winner. She also performed "I'd Do Anything" with all the Nancy and Oliver finalists; "Son of a Preacher Man"; "Getting To Know You" from the musical The King and I with Laurence ; "Maybe This Time" from the film Cabaret with Jessie Buckley and Samantha Barks as well as also singing "As Long as he Needs Me" and "I Have Nothing" from A Star Is Born before the final vote.
Cameron Mackintosh said about her performance of "Son of a Preacher Man", "Jodie has convinced me that she could make a Nancy. You absolutely deserve to be in the final." John Barrowman said, "every song she sings, you believe the words. I look forward to the day I can guest star with you on the West End stage!" and Andrew Lloyd Webber said, "that was a very, very, very good performance. You have an outsize talent, and a very strong voice, but I dont know if its going to be enough tonight, but it might be."[13]
In Show two Prenger performed her favourite song from the series, "I Have Nothing". After she was announced as the winner, Prenger said, "You have genuinely given me my dream, I can't actually put into words how I feel. I'm so grateful and so chuffed. I'm just Jodie from Blackpool and to be here is my dream." Andrew Lloyd Webber said, "The people's Nancy. Jodie was always going to be the people's choice," adding " I think people love her, they love her open personality. I think they relate to that personality and I think that's what makes her Nancy for the public. Her strengths are her personality and her very, very strong voice." And Cameron Mackintosh said, "I'm thrilled for Jodie, congratulations!" adding, "She is obviously the public's view of what they want to see as Nancy. She'll give a terrific performance and I really look forward to putting her into training and getting her into rehearsals."[14][15]
Prenger revealed on The Graham Norton Show a week later; that when her name was called out as the winner, she urinated slightly and had to perform As Long as He Needs Me with wet underwear. [16]
[edit] Performances on I'd Do Anything
- Please note this is a list of her individual performances only
| Show | Song |
|---|---|
| Week one | "Chasing Pavements" |
| Week two | "I'm Every Woman" |
| Week three | "Send in the Clowns" from the musical A Little Night Music |
| Week four | "9 to 5" |
| Week five | "I Have Nothing" |
| Week six | "Luck Be a Lady" from Guys and Dolls |
| Week seven | "If I Ain't Got You" |
| Week eight (quarter-final) | "Holding Out for a Hero" |
| Week nine (semi-final) | "Out Here on My Own" from the musical film Fame. |
| Week ten (final) | "Son of a Preacher Man" "As Long as He Needs Me" "I Have Nothing" |
[edit] Oliver!
In June 2008 it was confirmed that Prenger will be performing six of the eight weekly shows of Oliver! when it opens at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane on 12 December, 2008. She is scheduled to perform on Monday and Tuesday evenings, Wednesday matinees, Friday evenings and both the matinee and evening shows each Saturday.[17]
[edit] Personal life
Prenger is engaged to her boyfriend, Steve Greengrass, who proposed to her after the Saturday show in week three of I'd Do Anything on 12 April, 2008; a whirlwind romance which was featured throughout the series as their first date, some three months earlier had been Prenger's audition in Manchester.[18]
After winning I'd Do Anything she was given a Civic Reception in her hometown of Blackpool on 7 June 2008, with a specially erected stage in front of the Town Hall where she performed several songs from Oliver!.[17]
[edit] References
- ^ a b c "Nancy Contestants - Jodie", BBC, 2008-03-22. Retrieved on 2008-05-09.
- ^ Gomm, Elizabeth. "Singing for Blackpool!", Blackpool Gazette, 2008-05-30. Retrieved on 2008-05-30.
- ^ "Blackpool's famous faces", Blackpool Gazette, 2008-04-29. Retrieved on 2008-06-01.
- ^ a b Gomm, Elizabeth. "Making of our Nancy", Eve Magazine, Blackpool Gazette, 2008-06-03. Retrieved on 2008-06-03.
- ^ Neil, Beth. "I'd Do Anything star Jodie Prenger's sexy secrets", Daily Mirror, 2008-04-12. Retrieved on 2008-05-09.
- ^ "£25,000 prize for top TV loser Jodie", Blackpool Gazette, 2007-01-09. Retrieved on 2008-05-31.
- ^ Gomm, Elizabeth. "Blackpool girl bids for BBC stardom", Blackpool Gazette, 2008-03-18. Retrieved on 2008-06-01.
- ^ "Blackpool girl Jodie is BBC favourite", Blackpool Gazette, 2008-04-01. Retrieved on 2008-05-09.
- ^ "Reviewing the Situation, Week Five Result: Who were this week's leading ladies?", BBC, 2008-04-27. Retrieved on 2008-05-09.
- ^ "Reviewing the Situation, Which Nancys will make it through to the semi final?", BBC, 2008-05-16. Retrieved on 2008-05-30.
- ^ Roberts, Laura. "The Nancies as you've never seen them before: I'd Do Anything trio pose as Madonna", The Daily Mail, 2008-05-27. Retrieved on 2008-05-27.
- ^ Fletcher, Alex. "Webber: 'Cameron doesn't want big Nancy'", Digital Spy, 2008-05-27. Retrieved on 2008-05-27.
- ^ "The Live Final: How the voting will work on Saturday", BBC, 2008-05-30. Retrieved on 2008-05-30.
- ^ Kilkelly, Daniel. "Jodie Prenger wins 'I'd Do Anything'", Digital Spy, 2008-06-01. Retrieved on 2008-06-01.
- ^ "Reviewing the Situation: Final Results, Jodie is Nancy!", BBC, 2008-05-31. Retrieved on 2008-05-31.
- ^ "The Graham Norton Show". The Graham Norton Show. BBC 2. 2008-06-05. No. 8, season 3.
- ^ a b Hyde, Nick. "Ticket rush to see new West End star Jodie", Blackpool Gazette, 2008-06-12. Retrieved on 2008-06-12.
- ^ "Blackpool TV star set to wed", Blackpool Gazette, 2008-04-14. Retrieved on 2008-06-01.
[edit] External links
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