Comic Relief does Fame Academy
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Comic Relief Does Fame Academy is a spin-off from the BBC's Fame Academy format, featuring celebrities as students. Proceeds from phone votes are donated to Comic Relief. This was far more successful than the original show, and many believe its success secured the second series of the main programme.
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[edit] Series One (2003)
The first live show took place on March 7, 2003 and lasted until Red Nose Day on March 14, where the final show was presented and the winner is announced. Nine British celebrities moved into the Fame Academy. The celebrities were (in order of elimination): Paul Ross, Fearne Cotton, Jo Brand, John Thomson, Ulrika Jonsson, Doon Mackichan, Kwame Kwei-Armah, Ruby Wax and Will Mellor.
Most of the original Fame Academy teachers were back, including Richard Park, Carrie Grant, and Kevin Adams. David Grant was a newcomer, as a second voice coach.
The same elimination mechanism as the 2002 series, with the teachers putting three on 'probation' each night, with the public saving one and the students the second.
However in the 'semi-final' with only three students left the producers decided to change the student vote to include all expelled students as well as the contestant saved by the public. Will, who saved by the public, voted to save Kwame, while all six of the expelled students voted to save Ruby, changing the lineup of the final two.
Will Mellor was the eventual winner of the show.
[edit] Series Two (2005)
On February 26, 2005, Comic Relief Does Fame Academy returned for a second live airing. The production and broadcasting for the live shows was done from a new location on the south bank of the River Thames, between Tower Bridge and London City Hall.
The celebrities that took part were, in order of eviction: Al Murray, Jenny Eclair, Konnie Huq, Jon Culshaw, Christopher Colquhoun, Gina Yashere, Nick Knowles, Dawn Steele, Debra Stephenson, Reggie Yates, Adrian Edmondson, Kim Medcalf and Edith Bowman.
There were changes for this series. Strictly Come Dancing judge Craig Revel Horwood and opera star Lesley Garrett were brought in as judges. Singing coaches Carrie and David Grant were no longer on the judging panel, but were present during the live shows and were invited to give their views when necessary.
The elimination mechanism was the same as the second series proper, however Park no longer had a casting vote in the event of the Judges' vote being tied, with the public vote resolving any deadlock.
The five remaining students were given a masterclass courtesy of McFly, who released All About You as Comic Relief's official single that year.
The series had its fair share of drama and conflict. As with series two of the main show, host Patrick Kielty and headteacher Richard Park clashed continually throughout the series. While it was assumed by some that the arguments were staged to build up interest for the show, this appeared to be disproved when Richard Park was spotted making a rude hand gesture towards Patrick Kielty, as co-host Cat Deeley was attempting to introduce the next act. The BBC received over 400 complaints, although Kielty joked about the incident in a subsequent episode. A spokewoman for the programme said: "Richard Park did not realise he was on camera at the time. It is a live show and tensions were running high but we are really sorry if any offence was caused." [1]
The feud between Kielty and Park spilled over into the press after the show had ended. Park claimed that Kielty's presenting skills had been "sub-standard" and speculated that he would never be seen on BBC screens again. Kielty was later announced as the host of ITV's Celebrity Love Island.
Teachers Carrie and David were also involved in a feud with Craig Revel Horwood. Horwood regularly criticised the performances of the celebrities, particularly Debra Stephenson and Reggie Yates. In one episode of the show, Carrie accused Craig of trying to kill the spirits of the singers.
There was also some speculation that the students were colluding with each other during the student vote to ensure 'close' results. The contestants asked the producers to be excused of the student vote, however the producers refused.
Because of this, many felt the students deliberately invoked a tie when there was only six left, so that the public would have the casting vote. To stop this happening in the semi-final, where a tie was also possible, ex-students also voted (making 11 votes in total, meaning no tie was possible. Therefore one student was put in the final by the public, another by the Judges and the third by the former and current students.
During the Comic Relief show on March 11 (Red Nose Day), Edith Bowman was announced as the winner. The runner-up was Kim Medcalf and in third place Adrian Edmondson.
[edit] Series Three (2007)
It was recently confirmed by Carrie Grant that the series will return in March 2007.
