Blackpool’s Jodie Prenger is Nancy
The search for Nancy in Cameron Mackintosh‘s West End production of Oliver! is now over, as viewers of the hit BBC One show I’d Do Anything have chosen Blackpool actress Jodie Prenger. The 28-year-old chose Whitney Houston’s “I Have Nothing” as her favourite performance to battle it out with Ireland’s Jessie Buckley, 18 in the final.
As the phone lines closed, the panel’s favourite differed with John Barrowman and Denise Van Outen favouring the eventual winner and Barry Humphries, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Mackintosh preferring Jessie.
As host Graham Norton announced the winner, Jodie burst into tears. Of the win, she said: “Thankyou from the bottom of my heart. I am so chuffed.”
Andrew later described Prenger as “The People’s Nancy” and Mackintosh said he was “thrilled for Jodie.”
Twelve Nancys started the BBC show, the third to select a musical star, following How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria? and Any Dream Will Do. ADWD’s winner Lee Mead made a guest appearance on the final singing “Any Dream Will Do.” with the young Olivers. When asked who he thought should win he said Jodie was his Nancy.
Cameron Mackintosh’s West End revival of Lionel Bart’s Oliver! will make its home at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, where it will open on 14 January 2009 (previews from 12 December 2008). The production will star Rowan Atkinson, making a West End comeback after two decades to play Fagin, alongside Jodie, and the Olivers; Gwion, Laurence and Harry.
The new production will be directed by Rupert Goold, based on Sam Mendes’ 1994 staging at the London Palladium. Goold – the artistic director of Headlong Theatre, who won three Best Director Awards (Olivier, Critics’ Circle and Evening Standard Awards) for his Patrick Stewart-led Macbeth, now transferring to Broadway – started his career assisting Mendes at the Donmar Warehouse. Oliver! will mark his musical debut.
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June 28th, 2008 at 3:20 pm
Well done to Jodie for winning, but I couldn’t help feeling really disappointed when Jessie didn’t win. I think she is a natural and was absolutely perfect for the role. Although she struggled with the cockney accent in the beginning, over the weeks that improved and to me she was the whole package. Anyway there was a big portion of irish women in London in Dickens days, as one of the judges said. I loved her singing “The man who got away”, she sang it with so much emotion. I am looking forward to seeing Jessie again no matter where it is and I wish her the very best for the future as she deserves it.