Gimme! Gimme! GIMME!

What to expect from an ABBA-inspired talent search to find two new West End stars

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MAMMA MIA! I
HAVE A DREAM
NEW SUNDAY, 6PM,
ITV1 ENTERTAINMENT

Dust off your dancing shoes, jazz up your jumpsuit and honey, honey, prepare to be thrilled as ITV1 embarks on a sun-soaked quest to find two new super-troupers to star in hit ABBA-inspired musical Mamma Mia! at the Novello Theatre in London’s West End.

Hosted by Zoe Ball, the allsinging, all-dancing series, Mamma Mia! I Have a Dream, was filmed on location in Greece, the setting for the stage show as well as 2008 movie Mamma Mia! and its 2018 sequel Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again.

Over eight episodes, we will follow 14 hopefuls as they compete to play the leading roles of lovebirds Sophie and Sky, with comedian Alan Carr, Glee favourite Amber Riley, musical queen Samantha Barks and singer Jessie Ware sitting in judgement.

‘Our Sophies and Skys are so adorable and annoyingly professional!’ laughs Zoe, 52, as TV Times catches up with her at the official launch for the show. ‘They had so much to learn but they all rose to the challenge!

‘They do singing, dancing and acting workshops, and it’s whittled down, week on week. Each show opens with a fabulous song-and-dance routine set in the streets or the beaches of Greece. It looks very much like Mamma Mia! the movie! It’s fabulous escapism!’

Here, Alan, 47, Amber, 37, Samantha, 33, and Jessie, 38, tell us why viewers should take a chance on the show…

How would you describe your judging style?