Just The Two Of Us is due to launch this Friday night on BBC1. The show will showcase 8 celebrities paired with 8 singing professionals who will battle it out for the crown of king and queen!

We have already brought you more details on all the celebrities taking part, so here’s a bit more about the professionals who will be leading the way!

The professionals:

Sarah Brightman

The Americans call her The Angel of Music and she’s the world’s biggest selling soprano ever. She inspired the most successful musical of all time and has received more than 150 gold and platinum awards in 34 countries from America to Japan and Canada to Australia. Her latest album Diva is a comprehensive collection which charts Sarah’s three-decade career.

Jocelyn Brown

A legendary figure the dance music world, Jocelyn has had over 20 hits on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart, including four number ones. She also sold over half a million copies of Don’t Talk, Just Kiss with Right Said Fred. Her latest album, Unreleased, is a compilation of much of her previously unreleased work from throughout her career. Last year Jocelyn competed in Just The Two Of Us with Rogue Trader’s Matt Allright.

Carol Decker

Carol is best known as the singer/songwriter and front woman of the 80’s band, T’pau, which scored eight Top 30 UK hits and worldwide sales of over four million. China In Your Hands stayed at Number 1 in the UK charts for five weeks and was the longest serving Number 1 of 1987. Their album Rage went platinum and their debut album Bridge of Spies was certified quadruple platinum. After the original band split in 1991, Carol continued to tour and record. Since then she’s also turned her hand to acting with lead roles in productions that include Mum’s The Word in the West End and Nine Dead Gay Guys with Stephen Berkoff. Last year Carol was a finalist in the ITV primetime Saturday night show Hit Me Baby One More Time hosted by Vernon Kay.

Natasha Hamilton

Prior to launching her solo career in April 2005, Natasha was one third of the most successful girl band since the Spice Girls - Atomic Kitten – who sold over 7m records and scored 4 platinum albums in their six years together. Last year Natasha reached the final with her partner Mark Monaghan but they were pipped to the trophy by Sian Reeves and Russell Watson.

Beverley Knight

The queen of soul and R&B, Beverley has three MOBO awards to her name alongside her nominations for both Brits and Mercury Awards. She’s had three gold selling albums, 11 Top 40 hits and Top 10 success with Shoulda Woulda Coulda and Come As You Are. Last series Beverley was joined in the Just The Two Of Us line up by Radio 5 Live’s Nicky Campbell and in 2006 she was awarded the MBE for her services to music.

Tony Christie

During the 1970s Tony sold over 10 million records worldwide, but it was 2005 Comic Relief recording of Is This The Way to Amarillo which fired his recent success. Amarillo was the top single of 2005 with seven weeks at Number 1 and Tony’s album The Definite Collection followed suit reaching the top of the album and download charts. He was then awarded the freedom of Amarillo in Texas and took a guest role in Emmerdale.

Alexander O’Neal

Alexander has sold over 11 million albums worldwide. He’s had six Top 20 hits in the UK, six of his albums have charted both sides of the Atlantic and his recent Greatest Hits album was a UK Top 20 success. He received the Lifetime Achievement Award at Black Expo (the forerunner to MOBO Awards). Last year, Alexander partnered BBC News presenter Fiona Bruce in Just The Two Of Us.

Marti Pellow

Marti holds the record for the most consecutive weekly appearances on Top Of the Pops (18 weeks!) with Wet Wet Wet’s massive hit Love Is All Around’ which spent 37 weeks in the charts. Alongside his success with Wet Wet Wet he has released three albums as a solo recording artist - his latest album Moonlight over Memphis hit the shelves in October and he has just finished a 17 date sell-out tour titled In Concert Alone. Marti is also a star of the West End stage and Broadway having performed as Billy Flynn in the hit musical Chicago.

Russell Watson

Russell ‘The Voice’ Watson is the UK’s biggest selling artist of the 21st Century and winner of four classical Brit awards. He has achieved a minimum of platinum or multi platinum on every record released in the UK and holds the world record for having an album at Number 1 for 52 consecutive weeks. Last year, Russell won Just The Two Of Us with his partner, actress Sian Reeves and he is eager to defend his crown. NB: Russell’s appearance will depend on the results of impending tests following his brain surgery earlier this year.