Category: TV Entertainment; 91Èȱ¬ ONE
Date: 19.08.2006
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Belinda Evans, 28, a singer and singing teacher from Somerset, was voted out by
the viewers in tonight's How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria? which was
hosted by Graham Norton on 91Èȱ¬ ONE.
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Tonight the nine remaining Maria finalists again auditioned live for the nation with songs
designed to show their acting and performance skills.
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After hearing the feedback
from Andrew Lloyd Webber and the expert panel - David Ian, Zoe Tyler and John
Barrowman - the Marias waited for the viewers to cast their votes.
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The two with
the lowest votes were Belinda and Meliz who had to sing for survival with a
joint rendition of Another Suitcase in Another Hall.
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Then it was up to the
Lord of the Theatre alone to choose which Maria should be saved for another
week.
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Andrew Lloyd Webber said: "This is a complete and total nightmare. I'm in a quandary - I really am... but
on the basis that we are looking for a contemporary Maria - the girl I have to
save is Meliz."
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So Andrew chose to save Sexy Maria - Meliz - who will sing again next week, and
Belinda was left to say goodbye.
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Before leaving the stage she joined the other
Marias in a rendition of So Long, Farewell from The Sound of Music.
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Belinda, who had been the mother-figure of the group, said after the show: "Thank you for the brilliant experience. Thank you for pushing my boundaries and
pushing me to the limit.
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"I've had the whole of Somerset behind me. But I'm a
professional singer - I'll pick myself up and dust myself off and go on to the
next thing - that's what you do in this business.
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"I wish all the girls all the
best and hope they keep their chins up throughout all of this."
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Safe for another week are Abi, Aoife, Leanne, Connie, Meliz, Simona, Siobhan
and Helena - these hopefuls will go on to next week's show where they will again
audition for the nation to decide who could be Maria in the new West End version
of The Sound of Music.
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Also performing this evening was Duncan James with his new single Can't Stop A
River.
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Notes to Editors
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Individual songs this evening were:
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Leanne Dobinson - See The Day (Dee C Lee)
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Aoife Mulholland - If My Friends Could See Me Now (Sweet Charity)
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Abi Finley - The Closest Thing To Crazy (Katie Melua)
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Siobhan Dillon - Chains (Tina Arena)
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Connie Fisher - Shout (Lulu)
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Simona Armstrong - Material Girl (Madonna)
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Belinda Evans - Fever (Peggy Lee)
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Helena Blackman - Woman In Love (Barbra Streisand)
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Meliz Serman - The Voice Within (Christina Aguilera)
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Group songs tonight were - My Favourite Things from The Sound of Music; Don't Rain on My Parade (Barbra Streisand); and the usual So Long,
Farewell.
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EP
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