TV Appearances
Andrew has been familiar to television viewers across the world for many years with appearances on numerous arts programmes, documentaries, chat shows and live events. More recently he has pioneered television-casting for the theatre with the BBC.
In July 2006, Andrew announced that a groundbreaking new television show would be launched – the search for a new musical star. The show, How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria, looked to cast the iconic role of Maria Von Trapp in a new production of The Sound of Music at the London Palladium. Thousands of hopefuls auditioned for Andrew and a judging panel of West End veterans, and the viewing public watched as they were whittled down to a final ten.
Each Saturday night for six weeks, the ten Marias performed for the panel and the public, as viewers voted to save their favourite Maria. The role eventually went to 23-year-old Connie Fisher, whose debut onstage at the London Palladium earned her great critical acclaim.
The TV show was a phenomenal success, winning an International Emmy in 2007. It also had a positive effect on ticket sales across the West End and attracted nationwide attention to the quality work being staged in London theatres. The format has been exported across the world.
Andrew and the BBC replicated this success in the UK with Any Dream Will Do, a search for a Joseph to star in the 2007 West End production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat®. This series was won by Lee Mead. In 2008, Andrew judged I’d Do Anything the BBC’s search for a Nancy and an Oliver for the Cameron Mackintosh-produced revival of Oliver!. Jodie Prenger won the role of Nancy and was joined by three boys chosen by Andrew and the expert panel who shared the role of Oliver.
Andrew’s search for musical theatre talent has also taken him across Europe and into the USA and Canada, and in 2008 he appeared as a mentor on Fox’s hit TV show American Idol.
In January 2009 the BBC asked Andrew to head up a series to create the UK entry for the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest. Jade Ewen won the resulting Your Country Needs You and sang ‘It’s My Time’, penned by Andrew and Grammy Award-winning songwriter Diane Warren in the Eurovision final.
In 2010 Andrew worked with the BBC to find Dorothy for a new production of The Wizard of Oz.
