Samantha Barks spills all on upcoming All Star Musicals specials
Samantha Barks has spilled all on the upcoming All Star Musicals specials.
The TV series follows a group of famous faces as they head into the theatre spotlight and compete to put on the best musical performance.
Frozen star Samantha is one of the judges alongside Hamilton’s Trevor Dion Nicholas and West End legend Elaine Paige.
Speaking about the upcoming episodes, Samantha shares: “I just think it’s really cool that there are all these different people, from different walks of life. Some of them have never ever performed in any way before, so to see them giving it a go- they worked so hard. I just think it’s a brilliant thing to watch.
“People trying something new, going for it and I think it’s quite inspiring for a lot of people. People are always nervous and think I’m not going to be any good at it so I won’t give it a go but it’s always good to try something new and push yourself because you might surprise yourself which a lot of the celebrities do.”
Samantha says that she’s enjoyed mentoring the celebs ahead of their big performance, explaining: “That’s been really rewarding because it’s been exciting to get to watch performances and give them guidance and tips and advice that have helped me in my career, especially if it’s things and songs that I might know and I might have done before.
“I’ve been able to really work with the celebrities one on one and that was my favourite part about it; actually, getting to be hands on and watch their journey from the very beginning to the end.”
She adds: “It’s the strangest thing when you watch their final performance. Having known where they started. It makes you emotional and you feel like a proud parent because you know all the things they were worried about, all the things that they had to work extra hard on and your heart is pounding out of your chest because you know how much it means to them and you want them to be their absolute best and do themselves proud. It definitely adds a layer of nerves and excitement for me.”
Meanwhile it won’t just be the celebrity contestants who are performing with Samantha teaming up with her fellow judges for an epic opening number.
“It was so much fun,” Samantha enthuses. “I mean, it’s Elaine Paige! That’s so exciting to get to perform with her and Trevor who I just get along with so well and he’s so much fun. It’s a bit of a pinch me moment, isn’t it really. Next minute, you are performing with Elaine and Trevor and then you realise it’s Elaine Page. I can’t believe it, it’s so cool.”
Samantha will also be seen belting out Frozen 2 song Into The Unknown from her new album.
She continues: “It was nice because I’m there trying to help the celebrities and give them hints and tips, but actually I was like ‘oh I’m getting up there myself’ and they were like ‘are your nervous’? and I was like ‘no I am totally nervous.’
“But that’s okay, you can use that adrenaline and they weren’t just words because I was actually getting up there myself and giving it a go, you know!
“So, I wasn’t just giving them empty words, I could really talk to them about how it is to perform there and to that audience and it was so much fun. I loved performing. It was great to be back in front of a live audience because they are an audience who love Musical Theatre so to have them in there watching just made the show go to a whole new level.
“Theatre lovers, people who just love theatre and love going out – to see them all celebrating theatre in that way was so cool.”
All Star Musicals At Christmas airs this Boxing Day at 8PM on ITV, and from 7AM on ITV Hub.
A second special will follow later in 2022.
