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Jodie has the bottle for TV role
BLACKPOOL'S Nancy hopeful will show her fighting spirit tonight when she strikes out for a place in the final of BBC1's I'd Do Anything!
"I still can't believe I have made it to the semi-finals," said Jodie.
"I waited in a queue for 12 hours in Manchester to audition and now I'm just one step away from the final. It's been a phenomenal experience."
Last week, Jodie was reduced to tears when impresario Andrew Lloyd Webber, who is mentoring the search for an unknown to play Nancy in a West End revival of Oliver!, described her choreography of Holding Out for a Hero as reminiscent of rock singer Meatloaf.
Are you supporting Jodie? Tell us why you are giving our local girl YOUR vote by e-mailing steve.dunthorne@blackpoolgazette.co.uk
Jodie, who has battled with her weight to get down to a curvy size 14, was bruised by the remark but isn't bitter.
"Last week, more than any other, I did feel more vulnerable than ever before. When you are up there it is hard to take in what is said, you are dazed with fear and realise later that you've missed half of what the judges say.
"I respect Andrew, he is one of the people who put me here and I will forever be grateful."
Whatever the first lord of musical theatre may have thought, the expert panel – John Barrowman, Denise van Outen and Barry Humphries – agreed she deserved to be one of the four semi-finalists.
John said: "You've proved you can move – you are my perfect Nancy!"
Barry congratulated her on a "very warm and very mature, beautiful performance".
He added: "You also have the quality that Nancy has, that is you've been round the block a bit."
Denise said it was a fantastic performance.
"When John said I was his perfect Nancy I beamed from ear to ear. It's the most wonderful thing to hear when you've put your heart and soul into a performance," said Jodie.
There have been no days off this week for the Nancys – they have had a gruelling schedule of rehearsals plus fitting in a first chat-show appearance with Paul O'Grady.
Jodie , 28, of Newton Drive, said: "It's a lot of pressure but it's one more week, one more stepping stone and I'm going to graft as hard as I can.
"I'm not ready to go home yet. I'll fight right to the end."
Fan mail is arriving daily for Jodie.
"Every single person who writes to me will get a letter back even if I have to stay up into the night!" she said.
Jodie's Blackpool fans will be out leafleting in the town centre this weekend and will be taking their "Vote Jodie" mission to Manchester where Jodie has appeared in clubs.
I'd Do Anything! is on BBC1, tonight, 6.50pm and tomorrow, 7.15pm.
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Weather for Blackpool
Saturday 11 February 2012
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