FROM the Britney Spears-loving dinner lady with the wrong backing track to some bonkers balloon bending...Britain's Got Talent put Blackpool's up-and-coming stars under the prime time spotlight on Saturday night.

The judges might not rate the resort's talent, but nobody can deny the show made a huge impact.

See Blackpool's famous faces

Discover resort's rich seam of star quality

Blackpool gained special recognition from the three judges – sadly for the wrong reasons.

Former tabloid newspaper editor Piers Morgan blasted Blackpool for having the least talent of all the places they visited. Asked where the worst audition had been, he said: "Blackpool. . . by a long way.

I thought we'd stumbled on to the set of Nightmare On Elm Street by the end of the first session.

"It wasn't so much end-of-the-pier stuff as chuck-them-off-the-end of the pier stuff."

Even the normally sympathetic actress Amanda Holden said failed local escapologist Nicky Flash was the worst audition of the whole series.

Escapologist has to be rescued from duvet

With the dreams of many would-be stars in tatters, is Blackpool facing the final curtain as the home of British variety, or were the cringeworthy acts more a case of smoke and mirrors than a true picture of Fylde Coast talent?

Blackpool variety impresario Duggie Chapman was quick to defend the town. He said: "That programme was not a true reflection of the talent Blackpool has to offer.

"The majority of those performers were not even from here, they had just travelled here to use it as an audition venue.

"The dinner lady was clearly from Liverpool and Visage, the illusion act who were criticised because of their singing, are from Hull.

"How they can say any town has got no talent on this basis is beyond me.
"To be honest, we all know such shows are purely about what makes good television. They are not interested in true talent.

"They show the worst acts just to win ratings because they are the most entertaining to watch.

"Blackpool's true talent would never be interested in such a show – they are too busy with their careers."

Former Grumbleweed and entertainment manager Tony Jo also cast doubt on how accurate a picture of Blackpool was painted.

He said: "If those judges think Blackpool has got no talent, I urge them to come and see a show at North Pier.

"Acts like Joe Longthorne and Johnnie Casson don't need such gimmicky shows to prove their worth. Their popularity speaks for them.

"Look how many famous local names we've got like Roy Walker and Frank
Carson. We've got so much up and coming talent, too, like (vocalist) Leanne Fury.

"Those shows don't want established talent, they want youngsters they can mould.

"I'm still not convinced that Nicky Flash didn't get stuck in that duvet on purpose. It will certainly make his name known."

Talented youngsters are getting experience of the bright lights on Blackpool's stages. The Grand Theatre is hosting more shows featuring the resort's talent every year.

General manager Neil Thomson said: "The standard of up and coming talent in the town is phenomenal, it always has been. The shows from the schools and the local drama groups are always well received.

"Look at the famous names like Jonas Armstrong and Joanne Riding who have both studied drama locally and gone on to incredible things.

"There are scores of dance and theatre schools here, far too many to list, I think the problem may be that the best get whisked away to all the top dance and drama schools down in London."

Lorraine Hill, principal of the Barbara Jackson theatre arts school, just one of many hothouses for young talent across the coast, said: "Saturday night's show has made my blood boil!

"One of our young dancers went to the Blackpool auditions and they asked her to go to the auditions in Manchester where she got through. It's like they were trying to make us look bad on purpose.

"Our young talent speaks for itself. One Blackpool girl from our school has just left to go into Grease on the West End, two others have got into a top theatre school on full scholarships.

"They have manipulated the show. Most of the performers on TV weren't even from here."

South Shore schoolboy Mark Fishwick, 14, was asked to show his circus skills at the Blackpool, Manchester and London audtions and got down to the final 150 before he was knocked out.

Mark's mum Karen said: "There are so many opportunities for youngsters to have their talent nurtured here, we have got some brilliant young performers.

"The show portrayed Blackpool in a really poor light, I'm not sure why they did that, I think it's appalling. It's just cheap telly."

Singer and songwriter Steph Fraser, 15, from Cleveleys, is another rising star from the Fylde Coast. She won The Gazette's own Blackpool's Young Talent competition last year and has just done a small tour in Canada.

She said: "I saw the show but don't think it gives a balanced view.
"I see a lot of talent on the Blackpool music scene but it rarely seems to get noticed.

"I have just got a recording contract with a local label and am going back to Canada soon to do more recording there. I think we have great support for young performers in this area."

Although ITV may not be Blackpool's biggest fan, the BBC is certainly giving the town some good coverage in the form of local lass Jodie Prenger.

Jodie, 28 from Whitegate Drive, is down to the final seven auditioning for Nancy in Andrew Lloyd Webber's West End show. Another Whitegate Drive girl is also doing well on the box. Gina Pontoni, 42, has got down to the final six in GMTV's Sofa Factor, which is looking for a member of the public to transform into a TV presenter.

Tony Jo added: "It would take a lot more than one TV talent show to bring Blackpool down."