Re: The Saturdays are supporting act?!
SHANE RITCHIE TO WARM UP 02 FOR JACKSON
Shane Ritchie will open shows
Sunday March 15,2009
COMEDIAN and former EastEnder Shane Ritchie is being lined up to act as the warm-up man for Michael Jackson’s string of concerts this summer.
A huge fan of the controversial superstar, Ritchie, 45, is said to have dined with Jackson while he was
in London and in Los Angeles to discuss how he could make a contribution to the concerts.
Now it appears that Ritchie, who played lovable rogue Alfie Moon in EastEnders and is currently playing Archie Daley, the nephew of Arthur, in the revamped Minder series on Channel Five, will open the shows but without singing a note.
Richie is said to be working on a new-style act to get the crowds in the mood for Jackson’s stage performance.
The choice would be highly surprising as Jackson has the pick of the current crop of big-selling acts, from Razorlight to the Killers, from Lily Allen to Kate Nash, all clamouring for the warm-up role.
Jackson, 50, a fan of Fox TV’s smash-hit show Don’t Forget The Lyrics, had originally promised the slot to its host, the Emmy award-winning black American actor, singer and comedian Wayne Brady, who released his debut R & B album, A Long Time Coming, in the US late last year.
Jackson had planned a variation on the programme’s karaoke theme, in which fans from the 02 Arena audience would be invited on stage to perform Michael Jackson songs, and attempt to win prize money by filling in the missing lyrics.
But his promoters AEG Live pointed out that 36-year-old Brady is virtually unknown in Britain and would be unlikely to excite the crowds.
When one of his team then pointed out that Ritchie presents a British version of the show for Sky One, Jackson asked for tapes, liked Ritchie and the deal was all but done.
Ritchie has also appeared in the West End musicals Boogie Nights and Grease.
“I can’t confirm or deny that there’s a deal on the table”, said Ritchie’s
Phil Dale last night.
http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/89385/Shane-Ritchie-to-warm-up-02-for-Jackson