From Mexican wrestler to West End star, Justin Lee Collins' second challenge couldn't be more different. Secretly, JLC has harbored a life-long dream of performing in a musical.
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Describing his perfect role he enthusiastically reveals:
"I want to be Jesus Christ Superstar...that's the part I want."
However he didn't get very far. His singing skills stretch as far as singing in the shower, karaoke and the Russian national anthem.
Armed with enthusiasm and confidence in his singing ability JLC heads to a slightly smaller stage.
Welcome to the Gilbert and Sullivan Operatic Society from Weston-Super-Mare. The amateur dramatics group give him a swash-buckling pirate he role. However his tuneless endeavours don't impress his cohorts as he'd hoped and he's still a far cry from the West End.
Undeterred, he is convinced the glittering lights of London will reveal his inner Pavarotti and he auditions for a part in the Bunn Leisure holiday parks cast. In an eye-opening moment his ideals come crashing down. His performance of 'Green Green Grass Of Home' goes disastrously wrong, despite the fact he's been singing it for 15 years...in the shower.
Miraculously the highly respected casting director for world-famous musical, 'Chicago' agrees to see him. With only 24 hours to prepare Justin gathers everything he can muster to deliver an act that will convince them to give him the role of Amos Hart, and he does it!
He cannot believe he's got the part and is ecstatic. With three lengthy performances, ten days to prep and one giant solo, time is not on his side. Whether the vocal coach can erase his West Coun'ry accent in favour of an American drawl is debatable. He's also got to simultaneously juggle singing and dancing.
Can he control his nerves in front of a paying audience on a West End stage?
