Its time to face the music… the phone lines are now closed… and the winner is…..

This is familiar talent show fodder that we hear coming from our TV’s most Saturdays. But why has the TV talent industry become so prolific; covering singing, dancing, comedy and musical theatre. Do we now have a generation of people wanting ‘instant fame’ instead of slogging it out to hone their craft? What kind of vehicle does it provide for artists and what freedom of development do they really have when tied to a contract from a talent show?

The new revival of TV talent shows include Popstars,Pop Idol,The X Factor, Fame Academy, How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria? and Britain’s Got Talent. These shows have thrust the likes of Susan Boyle, Will Young, Flawless and Leona Lewis in to the limelight. However the creators of such shows are millionaires and in some cases have become the stars themselves, ah hem Simon Cowell!

However this is not a new phenomenon, TV talent shows have been around for decades; Opportunity Knocks, New Faces, Search for a Star and Stars in Their Eyes introduced us to (to name a few)  Lenny Henry, Victoria Wood and Les Dawson.

Some may think it cynical to say but there does seem to be something new going on today that seems more sinister, more contrived and crueler than the shows gone by. Maybe shows like Stars in Their Eyes were gateway talent shows to the class A stuff! If you are watching the current series of the X Factor it does seem to have turned in to the monster big brother of its predecessors. The judges are now superstars. What will Tulisa and Kelly be wearing? Isn’t Gary Barlow handsome? Will this next act remind Louis of a young Westlife? Emotional back stories, returning contestants failing once again, weeping judges, weeping contestants and weeping audience members. This is our Saturday night entertainment?

That’s why I am looking at The Good The Bad and The Ugly of.. the TV Talent industry talking to some talented artists who have and have not taken part in the recent TV talent surge.

Featured in this piece; The Trinity Warriors – B – Boy Crew and Got to Dance Finalists, Jeanie Barton – Jazz Singer, Talulah Blue – Burlesque performer and Britain’s Got Talent contestant and Kirsty Munro – Stand Up Comic.

To read the full article go to KeepingUpWithTheGrid