Reality opera

THOSE suffering from withdrawal symptoms following the end of X Factor and Strictly Come Dancing might find some relief in the latest variation on the celebrity talent show, Popstar To Operastar.

It all sounds a bit mad, with bestselling recording artists from the world of pop – including Jimmy Osmond, Alex James and Bernie Nolan – discovering if they’ve got what it takes to perform as opera divas.

I suspect that the “diva” bit probably comes more naturally to some of them because classical hit singer Katherine Jenkins and tenor Rolando Villazon will be there to mentor them.

The eight would-be opera singers face learning to sing world-famous opera songs not only in a completely different style of singing, but a different language than they’re used to. Mamma mia, what a t’do.

They’ll be judged by Jenkins and Villazon, plus Meatloaf and Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen. I thought the latter was an interior designer, but apparently hosting a Classic FM radio show qualifies him on the opera front.

It might be fun watching these pop stars out of their comfort zone. Alex James may have been in a band – Blur – that had five number one albums, and Bernie Nolan may have sold more than 25 million records worldwide as one of the Nolan Sisters, but can they hack hitting the operatic high notes?

They’ll be joined by Danny Jones, of boy band McFly, Darius Campbell, who made his name in Pop Idol, and Jimmy Osmond.

Coronation Street’s Kym Marsh, who enjoyed a brief chart career as part of Hear’Say, is competing, along with Marcella Detroit, from Shakespear’s Sister, and Vanessa White, from girl band The Saturdays.

Hosting the show will by Myleene Klass, fresh from being ticked off by the police for threatening burglars with a knife, and gardener-turned-TV talk show host Alan Titchmarsh.

FRIDAY night is music night (apologies to Radio 2) as Neil Sedaka says That’s When The Music Takes Me.

His musical career has lasted more than 50 years, and includes such hits as Calendar Girl, Oh Carol and Breaking Up Is Hard to Do.

His hit-making run only ended when US teens became obsessed with The Beatles and other British bands. Not to be outdone, Sedaka penned classics for the likes of the Monkees, Tom Jones and Tony Christie before enjoying a comeback in the Seventies, during which time he topped the US charts with Bad Blood and worked with the likes of 10cc.

This documentary charts Sedaka’s life and career, from his earliest days to the present. Among those offering their opinions on his work are Connie Francis, Graham Gouldman, Jay Siegel, Don Kirshner and Carol Bayer Sager.

SURVIVING Beatles Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr don’t find themselves at the top of the charts these days, but they can take some comfort in the fact that the band is still one of the best-loved and most influential in the world.

If you want proof beyond all those statistics about record sales, just look at the mind-boggling array of artists who’ve covered Beatles songs. Whether it’s X Factor contestants joining in with the “na na nas” in Hey Jude, or Oasis performing I Am the Walrus, it seems everyone’s had a bash at a Lennon and Mc- Cartney song at some point.

The fascinating Sings The Beatles – first shown on BBC4 – raids the BBC archives for the most unusual covers, and unearths some real gems.

We get to see the Carpenters asking for Help, Richie Havens performing Here Comes the Sun and Siouxie and the Banshees having a bash at Dear Prudence.

Perhaps most bizarrely of all, there’s a unique version of Back in the USSR by none other than Su Pollard of Hi-Di-Hi fame.