Las Saturday saw the final tussle between the songbirds wanting to play Nancy in the forthcoming musical of Oliver, destined for the West End stage, in a huge new Cameron Mackintosh production. Samantha was the first of the three to go and then Jessie, who seemed, to this untrained eye to provide the performance of the night, leaving Jodie crowing at the top of the pile. Followers of TV Entertainment betting, along with everyone else will have been floundering about the outcome, given that Mackintosh and Lloyd-Webber favoured Jessie, while the general public were drawn towards Jodie.

In the history of casting for screen and stage reliance has been placed upon the shrewd and experienced eye to know what will please an audience and how to spot the future stars in auditions. Now, through television and the mechanism of mass voting, we can offer this opportunity to the public but only time will tell of their judgement criteria includes more than an emotional and whimsical appreciation of the artist at face value.

Both Mackintosh and Lloyd-Webber are reported to favour the runner-up and, it is rumoured, Jessie will get the job when Jodie’s contract is fulfilled. These theatre professionals have probably the most successful track-record of all time, in musical theatre, and their ability to see the breadth and depth of talent required and that an artist has to offer surely surpasses that of any audience. The power that the programme hands to the audience to place the trophy in the wrong hands at the expense of the rightful winner must be addressed before the commencement of the next series.