David Gest has admitted that he made the biggest mistake of his career, when he turned down the chance to judge on Britain’s Got Talent.

The music producer – who was famously close friends with the late Michael Jackson – was offered a lucrative TV deal from Simon Cowell back in 2007 and opted to join the panel of flop TV show ‘Grease is the Word’ (alongside Sinitta and Brian Friedman) instead of the massive franchise that it Britain’s Got Talent.

He admits now that he made the “wrong” decision and chose the wrong show when Cowell gave him the choice.

He exclusively told BANG Showbiz: I did ‘Grease is the Word’ and ‘Soapstar Superstar’. Simon signed me on a very lucrative deal. He gave me a choice between ‘Grease is the Word’, which was four months or one week on a little show called ‘Britain’s Got Talent’. I picked the wrong one.”

While David missed out on a slot on the ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ panel, the former ‘I’m A Celebrity. Get Me Out Of Here!’ star is currently busy working with musical legend Cliff Richard and producer Lamont Dozier on a new Motown-inspired album.

The venture was suggested by TV presenter Gloria Hunniford after David appeared on an episode of her TV show ‘Celebrity Cash in the Attic’.

He said: “This all came together when Gloria and I were doing ‘Celebrity Cash In The Attic’. She said, ‘You should do something with Cliff Richard, do something unique’.”

View the original post David Gest turned down Britain’s Got Talent for Grease is the Word on Unreality TV

David Gest has revealed that he intends to wear two pairs of pants when he meets Davina McCall later this month.

The I’m A Celebrity star is set to make a guest appearance on E4′s Celebrity Big Brother’s Big Mouth alongside Davina and revealed that he loves her so much, he fears he might wet himself on meeting her.

David told The Sun: “Davina has the perfect mix of sexy looks and great talent. I’ve decided to play it safe in case she has the same effect on me.”

Maybe time to start looking at those LA nursing homes eh David?

View the original post David Gest will wear two pairs of pants for Celebrity Big Brother on Unreality TV

There will also be a dinner and fundraising auction following the show, which will be attended by more than one hundred stars from the recording, television, film and sports industries. David admits: “In my wildest imaginations, I never thought I’d be dancing, singing and performing to over 100,000 people throughout the UK – considering I have no real talent, this is quite a feat!”

According to Gest’s best friend Michael Jackson, “We never thought we would see the day David Gest would sing and dance in public. Now he is working on flips and dances with little people. Considering David can’t sing and can’t dance it will be amazing to see just how nuts he gets on stage!”

His other best friend, Tito Jackson went on to add, “The fact that David Gest will be singing with so many of these legendary artists is scaring Michael and I to death! One thing is for sure, this is going to be one entertaining show!!!”

The tour is being produced by Metropolis Music. According to Bob Angus, Managing Director of Metropolis Music, “We are very excited to be associated with David Gest’s first national tour of the UK. David became a ‘national treasure’ after his appearance on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here. He was the first American to have three television series in prime time this year; the highly rated This is David Gest, Grease Is The Word and Greased Lightnin’. His appearance as host of The Friday Night Project showed the world he can easily hold his own on stage.”

The play/musical encompasses the story of David’s life with comedy and music. It includes over twenty top 5 records, most of them reaching No.1 in the UK charts, all performed by the original artists. In addition to that there are David’s characters he made famous in the jungle which should make this one spectacle to remember…. American Airlines and makebelieve self tan skin care are sponsors of the tour.

The tour will run through 17th March 2008. Ten legendary acts are set to join Gest on the tour including: K-Ci & JoJo (All My Life, Tell Me It’s Real and Crazy); Coolio (Gangsta’s Paradise and C U When U Get There); Gloria Gaynor (I Will Survive, Never Can Say Good-Bye, I Am What I Am); Peabo Bryson (A Whole New World (Alladin’s Theme), Beauty and The Beast, Through the Fire, Can You Stop the Rain and If Ever You’re In My Arms Again); Shalamar (I Can Make You Feel Good, The Second Time Around, Dead Giveaway, Make That Move, Take That To The Bank and Dancing In The Sheets); Candi Staton (You Got The Love and Young Hearts Run Free); Deniece Williams (Let’s Hear It For The Boy, Free, That’s What Friends Are For, Too Much Too Little Too Late and Gonna Take A Miracle); Billy Paul­­ (Me and Mrs. Jones, Your Song and Let ‘Em In); Martha Wash/The Weather Girls (It’s Raining Men and Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)) and Patrice Rushen­ (Forget Me Nots). All artists will be appearing on all dates except Ms. Gaynor who will be appearing on the tour from 20 February 2008 through 4 March 2008.

February

20 London Hammersmith Apollo

21 London Hammersmith Apollo

23 Livepool Philharmonic

24 Salford Quays, The Lowry

25 Blackpool Opera House

26 Harrogate International Centre

27 Nottingham Royal Centre

28 Sheffield City Hall

29 Newcastle City Hall

March

1 Glasgow Clyde Auditorium

3 Cambridge Corn Exchange

4 Brighton Centre

5 Ipswich Regent Theatre

6 Plymouth Pavilions

7 Southend Leas Cliff

8 Poole Lighthouse

9 Croydon Fairfield Hall

11 Bristol Colston Hall

12 Birmingham Symphony Hall

14 Reading Hexagon Theatre

16 Cardiff International Arena

TICKETS ON SALE from 20th November via www.gigsandtours.com 0871 220 02 60

View the original post David Gest To Star In His Own Musical on Unreality TV

Gest, who judged on the ITV show Grease Is The Word, from where the two lead actors for the stage show were picked, commented:

“I had to film The Friday Night Project so I gave Grease a miss,” Gest told the Daily Star Sunday. “Although filming didn’t start until 7pm the next night, I had to get up early to rehearse and have my hair and make-up done.”

He confessed: “Compared to some of the other singing contests, Grease Is the Word wasn’t the best. But I got great reviews for my role in the show!”

View the original post David Gest Avoided Grease Premiere on Unreality TV

He told Now magazine: “I joke that Sinitta needs to focus more on what she’s doing than what she’s wearing. Those weird, wacky outfits!

“She’s certainly extrovert, but with a body like that, who can blame her? She’s 40 and looks amazing.”

Ian also shared his thoughts on the other members of the panel, saying: “David’s a truly unique man, if stark, raving mad. Brian Friedman’s a very capable choreographer. Apart from the odd delusional moment, he knows what he is talking about.”

View the original post Grease Is The Word: David Ian Praises Fellow Judges on Unreality TV

Gest was late for Moyles’ show last week and Chris angrily declared:

“I’m shaking I’m so angry.”

But David Gest wants to make amends and stated:

“I’d like to take him to dinner, if we can agree a time that’s not too early.”

View the original post David Gest Invites Chris Moyles For Dinner on Unreality TV

In programme four of This is David Gest, the master of self promotion embarks on his glittering new TV career as a judge on Grease Is The Word, and decides it’s about time he got himself a PA.

David has decided he wants to take the showbiz world by storm, and whilst in the middle of negotiating a lucrative TV contract he’s booked to play a gig at famous London club G.A.Y alongside friend and fellow I’m A Celebrity…Get me out of Here! contestant Jason Donovan.

But although David is a successful music producer, singing isn’t one of his many talents and he’s suffering from stage fright, even during rehearsals.

“How am I going to do this thing tonight?” he panics. “I’m not a singer. I tell you it’s going to be a f**king bitch. Will there be a good reaction to me coming on?”

Notoriously late for everything, David knows he can’t let his friend Jason down and dashes to G.A.Y just in time. Jason says: “David is a wonderful beast, but if he’s not here by 1.30am he’s not coming on”.

A normally tee-total David is so nervous he resorts to a little bit of liquid courage as he waits in the wings for his guest spot.

In a bizarre performance of Jason’s hit single Seal It With Kiss, David forgets the words so makes them up in his own unique style before collapsing on the floor at Jason’s feet to rapturous applause from the audience.

The next day David is very pleased with himself as he’s finally negotiated the contract he wanted to be a judge on Grease Is The Word. Without giving away how much money he’s getting he says: “I can at least go to McDonalds and buy a single cheeseburger with extra pickles.”

Instead of a burger, David celebrates his deal with a trip to the jewellers where he buys a new diamond cross to wear whilst he’s a judge on the show – worth £11,000. But as David is prone to embellish the truth some what he happily tells cameras he’s spending in excess of £75,000 on the necklace and a 40 carat diamond bracelet.

Now David is so in demand, it’s time to get himself organised and get a PA. Trusty minder Imad is currently the only person to help David keep track of his every move, but finds it a little difficult.

“He needs a PA really, really urgently,” says Imad. “At the moment I’m doing it, I try my best but I can’t get up in the morning either!”

It’s fair to say David’s no expert interviewer, asking the applicants where they got their middle names from, or if they play tennis, rather than finding out if they’d be any good as an assistant.

After failing to find a suitable PA, David is late for his first day as a judge on Grease Is The Word. His unconventional judging style is quickly reigned in by producers, and he winds up fellow judge and West End producer David Ian. But the day is still a success for David as he bumps in to the woman of his dreams, and an unlikely romance blossoms…

View the original post This Is David Gest: Singing With Jason Donovan on Unreality TV

David was supposed to appear on Chris’ show last week but missed it due to Visa problems. He was then due to appear on yesterdays show at 8.30am and was told to be there by 8.15. When the music producers failed to appear on time Chris began his rant, stating:

“Don’t stand me up you freaky little man. Get your ass in my building. I don’t care how many of the bloody Jacksons you know. That dude better come in crawling on his hands and knees.” When it became clear Gest, 54, was not going to make it, Moyles said: “It’s cancelled. I’m so angry, and I’m sorry to all our listeners. I believe it was a farce and they had no intention of bringing him in.

“Everyone watch Joseph on Saturday, which is trouncing Grease in the ratings anyway.

“They need our help and they pull a stunt like that… I’m shaking I’m so angry. If I was tough I’d kill someone today.”

David did show up at 8.45am claiming that traffic had held him up, but Chris Moyles refused to meet with him and he did not appear on the radio show.

Gest’s spokesman said: “We were caught in bad traffic in the West End. David is upset he couldn’t go on the show. That is a decision Chris made.”

View the original post Chris Moyles Rants About David Gest on Unreality TV

The newspaper reported:

As well as a DVD of himself on I’m A Celebrity being continuously played in his dressing room, he demanded bottles of sparkling and still mineral water “at no more than 2degC”, freshly-squeezed orange juice – “room temperature” – and 12 bottles of bubbly, along with 10 Swarovski crystal champagne flutes at £100 a go.

He also insisted on six bottles of J20 (apple and mango) in an ice bucket, a massage chair (for his bad back), a foot spa with aromatherapy oils and 20 white hand towels.

And last night Gest topped off his demands by insisting on 18 of his pals to be chauffeur-driven to the studios to join him backstage after the show at a cost of more than £2,500.

However ITV have been quick to dismiss the claims saying:

Following a story in one of the Sunday tabloids today regarding David Gest’s 8k dressing room demands, Grease is the Word would like to point out that this story is entirely untrue and actually David’s has only a couple of dressing room requests that are more than modest and are:

David Gest does request in his dressing room:
- A few cans of diet coke
- Some fruit
And he likes After Eight mints!

David hates champagne and never drinks it (so did not request 12 bottles of it) and says that he can never watch himself back on TV because it would “make him want to vomit” which is why he would never request a DVD of himself on I’m a Celeb for his dressing room.

On Saturday night he had one guest come down to watch the show (who drove there himself) rather than the reported 18 people who were apparently chauffeur driven there.

He doesn’t drink mineral water or fresh organse juice,

And he’s never heard of the soft drink J20 which he also apparently orders!

View the original post David Gest: Impossible Demands? on Unreality TV

With the shock departure last week of favourites Kate Somerset-How and Tom Bradley, the contestants know they need to up their game to win public votes and stay on in the competition.

This week the theme is classic movie songs and with a focus on vocal performance, the contestants are feeling the pressure.

Judging are the celebrity panel, Theatre Producer, David Ian, Choreographer to the stars, Brian Friedman, West End star Sinitta and Showbiz Producer Mr David Gest but ultimately the decision rests in the publics hands. At the end of tonight, the couple with the lowest public vote will leave the competition for good. (See below for Judges comments and performance running order).

Tonight was a night of surprises all round and they included:

* Brian Friedman told Michelle Antrobus she looked gorgeous and revealed that she was like his first girlfriend, actress Jennifer Love Hewitt.
* Vicky Hoyles appeared on stage with her partner Michael Quinn yet shockingly was not wearing her engagement ring. A further blow for her fiancé in the audience Ben Jardine came when at the end of their performance, Vicky and Michael shared a passionate kiss.
* David Gest revealed that Hayley Clarke was his favourite because she was “sexy, sexy, sexy.”
* Alison Crawford revealed that she had spent the week pulling Anthony Kavanagh’s “strings” to get him in shape for this week and David Gest particularly noted hat he looked fitter.
* David Ian told Susan McFadden that she gave a leading lady West End performance and that she must be in the competition next week.

The favourites this week:

David Gest: “My favourites are Danny and Susan and Anthony and Alison”

Sinitta: “For me tonight it was Richards vocals, Laurens growth and Anthony’s charisma. Their partners need to step up their game.”

David Ian: “There were no disappointments but Michael emerged as a leading man tonight. Vicky you listened and played sweet and vulnerable. Disappointing wise, Richard the movement worries me.”

Brian Friedman: “Richard and Jo, you stepped it up this week and I enjoyed that. Bradley it was dead end and you have to step up the game vocally.”

The results are in and the two couples to face the sing off are Michael Quinn and his partner Vicky Hoyles and Richard Morgan with his partner Joanna Power.

With one last chance to impress the Judges and prove they have what it takes to be the next Danny and Sandy both couples have to perform for one last time with a special rendition of the Grease classic You’re The on The I Want.

The couple leaving the competition are…

With David Gest delivering the verdict he announced that the Judges had chosen to save Michael and Vicky. So for Richard and Joanna it is the end of the road and their Grease journey is over. Leaving only six couples to fight it out next week.

Performance running order and Judges comments:

Up first tonight were Danny Rhodes and Lauren McConnell singing What a Feeling from the movie Flashdance:

David Ian – “Danny that was not your greatest vocal performance. Lauren I think personally you held that number together. The braces have come off! I thought it was great. Not sure I’m looking at Danny and Sandy though.”

Brian Friedman: “Your teeth look amazing (Lauren has had her braces removed). I thought the solo performances were great. Harmonies didn’t click for me. Lauren you have a huge career ahead of you with that voice if you don’t get to be Sandy.

David Gest – “I gotta tell you, last week I told you that you gave the best vocal performance. Earlier I heard you and it was not the best rehearsal and tonight it was brilliant. It came back together. The chemistry was stronger and stronger. It was like magic. The two of you are like dynamite.”

Sinitta – “It was strange choice of harmonies but Lauren you are blossoming in front of our very eyes. The baby girl is going to fly away.”

Michael Quinn and Vicky Hoyles singing Up Where we Belong from the movie An Officer and a Gentleman.

At the end of their performance, they shared an intimate kiss.

David Ian: “ Michael you reminded me of Michael Buble. That song, I liked it vocally. Vicky you were sweet and vulnerable and you listened to the notes and at the end there was real romance. You were not cabaret!

David Gest: “This is the fist time I’ve really loved your performance. I loved the ending. I loved the sticky kiss at the end!”

Brian Friedman: “Michael you are growing on me that’s all I have to say. We are seeing you as a West End star now. Vicky, we have to watch out about your vocals not overpowering your partner. Tonight you calmed it down and blended well with him and I really enjoyed your performance. But, is your fiancé not going to be upset about that kiss? (Michael’s response: “Its all about becoming the characters and this competition is all about acting. We both have beautiful partners that we share!”

Sinitta: “ Vicky, you’re so sweet and so pretty. Michael I think your father will be proud of you.”

Wayne Smith and Hayley Clarke singing when You Say Nothing at All from smash hit movie Notting Hill.

David Ian: “What’s great about tonight is you were staged apart yet you were connected throughout the whole song. That’s acting that’s what I need.”

Brian Friedman: “What I love is you took us on a journey. It started smooth and soft and with a song that doesn’t build much you managed to build mountains and you’re the best dressed and (to Wayne) I want those shoes!”

David Gest: “Hayley you get sexier and sexier every single week. What I love about you two I that you didn’t take it for granted what I said last wek, you worked hard and the chemistry is 100% there. It was a great performance and you made it a great song.”

Sinitta: “It was so lovely, so convincing. I love the way you look at her Wayne and she’s blushing and Hayley, the way you look at him like you would follow him to the ends of the earth – that’s what we need.”

Richard Morgan and Joanna Power singing Don’t Let The Sun Go Down on Me from the film Lost Boys.

David Ian: “Sinitta is right Richard. You are a great singer and I am happy to say that, you blasted Joanne out of the water. This is about more than that. Movement in the first number was worrying. With the acting you didn’t connect. This is a singing dancing and acting but the singing was good.”

David Gest: “Richard I think your vocals are great – you’re a great pop singer. Joanne we need some work on. It was a little weak tonight and you need some work on it. The chemistry was better but I’m still not convinced yet.”

Brian Friedman: “It was not bland or boring tonight! Richard, without the dancing being an element tonight I really enjoyed your performance and you should be thankful there is none. Joanne whatever you lack vocally you make up for in ambition and this can get you so far in this industry.”

Sinitta: “You look beautiful tonight and I can see all your passion. Richard you are first a father, second a builder and thirdly an amazing vocalist. Amazing. I think you guys will be safe tonight.”

Anthony Kavanagh and Alison Crawford singing Nothing’s Gonna Stop us Now from 80’s classic movie Mannequin.

“Alison, I’ve been pulling a few strings – he’s been working hard this week.”

David Ian: “Anthony, that was a great vocal performance. I loved that. Kavanagh is back. Alison you’re not the best singer but you’re the best performer in my opinion and as a couple I love you.”

David Gest: “Holy Foccacia you finally got it and it’s about time. I mean you look thinner, you sounded great, This is the star that you are. Alison, what a great vocal. You two are Sandy and Danny. That’s what we want from you.”

Brian Friedman: “You sell everything that you do Alison. Anthony I loved that performance, it was star quality and I felt like I was watching a musical awards there.”

SInitta: “Your whole vibe is so cheeky and sexy and you push each other and support each other loved it – loved it.”

Danny Bayne and Susan McFadden singing Time Of My Life from the movie Dirty Dancing.

David Ian: “The show has been amazing. You were a great singer Danny tonight. Susan, that was a West End leading lady performance. Susan you must be here next week.”

David Gest: “This has now become a real competition. This was the best performance Danny, you have ever given the best vocals I have ever seen from you. You sang with such force. There was a great chemistry.”

Brian Friedman: “Tough love truly works – you guys stepped it up tonight. You are the best of the night vocally.”

Sinitta: “Susan you don’t need to cry. You’re not going anywhere. You’re great. Susan we though you were stronger than Danny but tonight I couldn’t take my eyes off you Danny.”

Bradley Clarkson and Michelle Antrobus singing Against All Odds from the film Buster.

After an emotional week, Michelle was on the verge of tears throughout her performance.

David Ian: “The thing I like about you two is that you are the best two actors in this competition. You have a great personal relationship and vocally you have to work. It’s not exciting. It’s not bad but it’s not the wow factor. If you get back next week you need to work on that.”

David Gest: “It started off slow but it built – a great performance.”

Brian Friedman: “Michelle you look gorgeous. You look like my first girlfriend Jennifer love Hewitt! Bradley it was more dead end and Michelle you were more West End.”

Sinitta: “You got worked up but you needed that kick up the butt and you pushed it tonight. Be confident. It was a passionate performance.”

View the original post Grease Is The Word: Richard Morgan And Joanna Power Leave The Show on Unreality TV