A CHESTER student can consider himself a potential star of the West End.
Jordan Li-Smith, a pupil of The Hammond School, has reached the final of the BBC’s prime time Saturday night talent show I’d Do Anything.
The 13-year old from Wrexham will now be pinning all his hopes on getting the chance to play the lead role in Sir Cameron Mackintosh’s revival of Lionel Bart’s hit musical Oliver!.
Viewers on Saturday watched as Jordan was picked to be one of 12 young hopefuls who will battle it out to be one of the three chosen to play the orphaned street urchin.
Each week Jordan will be set a musical task and perform with the other wannabe Olivers as a group. He will not face a public vote, but must impress Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber and the panel of judges to guarantee a place in the semi-final.
Judges include Torchwood and Doctor Who star John Barrowman, Broadway and West End leading lady Denise Van Outen and actor, comedian, writer and star of musical theatre Barry Humphries, aka Dame Edna Everage, who has appeared in several productions of Oliver! in the West End and on Broadway.
Lord Lloyd Webber said: “Don’t think of Oliver as a little drippy Victorian doll of a boy. He has to have a very special quality – real grit – after all, he has to hold his own around the rough streets of London.”
The BBC has advised Jordan not to give interviews but according to the BBC website he has set his sights on playing Jean Valjean in Les Misérables when he is older. He is also a Chelsea supporter and a big fan of Ant and Dec.
Jordan is also in the final of the Welsh Can You Sing? competition at the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff on April 5.
