Just The Two Of Us is due to launch on BBC1 this Friday night, and to help you prepare for the singing extravaganza here’s a bit more about the celebrities taking part:

Loui Batley

Loui plays series regular, Sarah, in the Chester-based teen-soap Hollyoaks and has previously made appearances in the cult sitcom Nighty Night and Alan Bleasdale’s Jake’s Progress. Before becoming an actress, Loui trained as a dancer both in the UK and US specialising in jazz, ballet, tap and basic ballroom. She has also some vocal training.

Julia Bradbury

Julia is co-presenter of BBC-1’s Watchdog and it was her colleague Nicky Campbell who suggested that she take part in this year’s competition. Over the summer Julia satisfied her passion for extreme sports by completing a documentary about the selection process for the world famous Red Arrows, which saw her get not one, but two opportunities to fly in the famous jets. Julia is also working on a BBC-1 special documentary entitled ‘Speed’ which examines the consequences of dangerous driving and will be broadcast next Spring. Julia has previously had singing lessons as she was keen to experiment with her voice but it was for fun rather than with an eye to a live primetime entertainment show.

Janet Ellis

Janet has just completed a role in a Lynn Truss’s comedy Inspector Steine for BBC Radio 4. She recently hosted Great Garden Challenge, a 62 part series for Channel 4 as well as being a regular on Five’s The Wright Stuff. Janet is a contributor to LBC Radio and presenter and contributor on BBC Radio 4. She is an accomplished presenter and actress who shot to fame as the presenter of Blue Peter, where, for four years, she did everything from jumping out of planes to singing at Last Night of the Proms. Sticky-backed plastic was also involved.

Hannah Waterman

Since leaving EastEnders, where she lived the chequered life of Laura Beale for four years, Hannah has gone on to appear on stage in The Vagina Monologues, Soap at the Stephen Joseph Theatre and in the West End production of Tom, Dick And Harry. On screen she did four guest episodes of The Bill and appeared New Tricks. During 2007 she will been seen in the latest series of New Tricks and The Afternoon Play. Hannah did have singing lessons when she was younger but she thinks her sister Julia is a better singer than she is.

Luke Bailey

Luke is currently starring in BBC-1’s top rating Saturday night drama, Casualty, in which he plays Healthcare Assistant, Sam Bateman, the charismatic son of Tess. Prior to this he starred in CBBC’s U-Get-Me and an adaptation of Jacqueline Wilson’s Illustrated Mum. He loves music and sings as well as playing the bass guitar in a band with two friends. But he does suffer from nerves – when Luke performed a song on BBC Children in Need last year he was physically sick before going on stage – although he felt much better when the music started.

John Bardon

EastEnders star John Bardon is known to millions as Dot’s long suffering husband, Jim Branning but prior to joining the soap John appeared in many classic British television programmes including Dad’s Army and Only Fools and Horses while his film roles include East Is East, Fierce Creatures and One Of Our Dinosaurs Is Missing. He also performs as a stand-up comedian and was profiled on This Is Your Life in 2003.

Mark Butcher

Mark is one of England’s premier batsman with 71 international caps to his name and he scored an amazing 173 not out to win against Australia in 2001. He’s captain of Surrey County Cricket Club and captained England when they faced New Zealand at Old Trafford in 1999. Music has always been a big part of his life – he first performed in a school production of The Pirates Of Penzance when he was 12 and both his parents are musical.

Brendan Cole

Star of Strictly Come Dancing, Brendan is best known for sashaying his hips across the dance floor with particular flamboyance in the Latin American numbers. He’s held top honours as Latin American Champion in the Asia Pacific and New Zealand Championships and was semi-finalist in the World Open, International Open and British Open Championships.

Gregg Wallace

Known as Gregg The Veg, Gregg is the TV fruit and veg man who hosts Celebrity Masterchef, Masterchef Goes Large and Radio 4’s Veg Talk. He’s the author of VEG – The Greengrocer’s Cookbook and he contributes to Olive and BBC Good Food Magazine. He also supplies fruit and veg to over 100 of London’d top restaurants including the likes of The River Café, Kensington Place, The Caprice and The Ivy.

It’s back! The duet singing showdown, Just The Two Of Us, returns for a brand new series on BBC One on 2 January 2007.

Nine celebrities will be singing for survival when they are paired with some of the world’s biggest recording stars to perform live every night.

The celebrities stepping up to the mike are:

Casualty’s Luke Bailey

EastEnders’ John Bardon

Former England cricketer Mark Butcher

Strictly Come Dancing’s Brendan Cole

Masterchef’s Gregg Wallace

Hollyoaks’ Loui Batley

Watchdog’s Julia Bradbury

Blue Peter doyen Janet Ellis

and former EastEnder Hannah Waterman.

Pairing them are four singing sensations new to the show:

Sarah Brightman

Tony Christie

Carol Decker

and Marti Pellow.

Plus, five Just The Two Of Us regulars are returning:

Jocelyn Brown

Natasha Hamilton

Beverley Knight

Alexander O’Neal

and Russell Watson.

Glamorous husband and wife team Tess Daly and Vernon Kay also return to host the show, guiding the celebrity songbirds through the emotional rollercoaster of intense daily rehearsals, live performances, the critique of the judging panel and the triumphs and tribulations of the uncompromising viewer vote.

A rigorous training programme will see the professionals put their partners’ vocal skills to the test as they prepare to step out on stage and fight it out for the Just The Two Of Us crown.

Each night they will perform a different song in a different genre including: songs for stage and screen, swing, pop, rock and soul.

They will be judged by a panel of industry experts and then viewers will have the chance to vote for their favourite.

Packed with all the glitz and glamour of a live music entertainment show, Just The Two Of Us not only guarantees exclusive performances from the pro-celebrity couples but also promises a series of unique professional collaborations.

Executive Producer Sumi Connock says: “We’ve got a brand spanking new show complete with our own results show which will include its own special surprises.

“Each night will be packed with new and classic songs accompanied by a 16-piece live band in the studio.

“Once again, the pressure of performing live will challenge our celebrities to perform in ways that they’ve never done before.”

The BBC reported:

Classical singer Russell Watson, who had a brain tumour removed this year, is to defend his title on the celebrity duets contest Just the Two of Us.

He will be one of nine professionals who are paired with famous faces when the BBC TV series returns on 2 January.

Ex-Blue Peter presenter Janet Ellis, cricketer Mark Butcher and actress Hannah Waterman are also taking part.

Sarah Brightman, Tony Christie, Wet Wet Wet’s Marti Pellow and Carol Decker of T’Pau are among those joining Watson.

The programme – presented by husband-and-wife team Vernon Kay and Tess Daly – will run for six nights.

THE NINE CELEBRITIES
Luke Bailey (Casualty)
John Bardon (EastEnders)
John Bardon (Hollyoaks)
Julia Bradbury (Watchdog)
Mark Butcher (cricketer)
Brendan Cole (Strictly Come Dancing)
Janet Ellis (ex-Blue Peter)
Gregg Wallace (Masterchef)
Hannah Waterman (ex-EastEnders)

Each duo will be judged by a panel of industry experts before viewers vote for their favourites.

The winner will be announced in the grand final on 7 January.

I knew it! As the BBC series of ‘Just The Two Of Us’ was coming to an end I was sure something was going on between Russell Watson and Sian Reeves. Maybe it was the tension during the first few days, or the way they gazed at each other, maybe they kissed just once too often, but I knew!

I watched the tabloids for days after the show ended waiting for the big announcement, but it didn’t come. I began to suspect that they were faking the chemistry in order to win, that or they were both incredible flirts.

And today I spotted this article in Wanadoo. They ARE together!

The reason we haven’t heard about it before now was that Sian had a boyfriend and wanted to let him down gently before she announced her new relationship with Russell “The Voice” Watson!

A TV insider whispered: “Sian and Russell seem quite happy together. It was a very difficult situation because Sian was with Jeremy until very recently,� the mole continued. “It’s a very sensitive issue and Sian decided it was time to end her relationship. Now she’s with Russell.�

It’s Chantelle and Preston all over again! If I was a celebrity or a celebrity girlfriend I wouldn’t let my man anywhere near a show like this!

Tonights final of the celebrity duet show ‘Just The Two Of Us’ saw ‘Cutting It’ actress Sian Reeves and partner Russell (The Voice) Watson competing with Holby City actor Mark Moraghan and ex Atomic Kitten singer Natasha Hamilton for the ‘Just The Two Of Us’ trophy.

Both duets had four songs to sing which included

Mark and Natasha:
1) Kids
2) You Can’t Take That Away From Me
3) I’ve Had The Time Of My Life.

Sian and Russell
1) Great Balls Of Fire
2) Annie’s Song
3) I Would Do Anything For Love

and the final song ‘Your Song’ was sang together by all four finalists.

Throughout the show Mark Moraghan and Natasha Hamilton remained at the top of the leader board as the judges favourites to win, with Sian Reeves and Russell Watson following closely behind.

At the end of the night I think everyone would have agreed that Mark and Natasha were definately the more talented couple. Mark’s singing beat Sian’s hands down, so that should have been it. Mark and Natasha deserved to win.

But as we know the public never works that way, instead the public voted for Sian’s vast improvement, for her and Russells increased chemistry, and as always, for the under-dog.

Sian Reeves and Russell Watson were named the winners of ‘Just The Two Of Us’ they were handed the trophy, but at the end of it all I think we all knew who the winners should have been don’t we!

There have been many travesties in the world of reality TV, take the eviction of Maria Lawson from the X Factor while The Conway Sisters remained….awful!

But tonight almost matched that for unfairness. ‘Just The Two Of Us’ on BBC1 saw the public vote to keep celebrity duos Mark Moraghan and Natasha Hamilton, and Russell Watson and Sian Reeves in the show for tomorrow nights final while Chris Fountain and Jo O’Meara were sent home.

I just wonder….were the public watching the same show as me? Sian is not only mentally unstable, but she can’t hold a note! Russell may have a technically good voice but he is soul-less. His duet with Curtis Stigers tonight was in tune, but while Curtis sang with passion and emotion, Russell looked like a big cold fish. He rarely smiles, when he does it looks fake and all Sian does is witter relentlessly. Then if she doesn’t cry she always looks like she’s about to.

I just can’t bear watching them in the final, I think that at the start of the show Vernon Kay and Tess Daly should declare Mark and Natasha the winners, end the show early and the BBC could then resort to some old re runs of ‘Only Fools And Horses’ to fill the gap. It would be a whole lot more entertaining than watching ‘The Voice’ and ‘The Nervous Wreck’ for another night!

Just The Two Of Us is the BBCs new show which pairs professional singers with familiar celebrities for a series of duets.

Singers include

*Beverley Knight
*Soul star Alexander O’Neal
*ABC singer Martin Fry
*Disco diva Jocelyn Brown,
*Jazz singer Curtis Stigers,
*Ex-S Club’s Jo O’Meara,
*Ex-Atomic Kitten Natasha Hamilton,
*Russell Watson

Celebrities Include

*Hollyoaks hunk Chris Fountain,
*Ex-Cutting It actress Sian Reeves,
*Actor Mark Moraghan
*Presenter Matt Allwright.
*GMTV Newsreader Penny Smith
*BBC Newsreader Fiona Bruce.
*Gaby Roslin, who recently starred in Chicago.
*Presenter Nicky Campbell

The show will be presented by Tess Daly and Vernon Kay

Rick Astley has quit the BBCs new show ‘Just The Two Of Us’ just 10 days before it is due to begin.

Rick Astley,aged 40 devastated singing partner Sian Reeves by walking out so he can go to the Oscars with his wife, Lene.

A source said: “She is the producer-director of Cashback, which is up for best short film.”

Stepping into his shoes is opera singer Russell Watson, he and Sian now need to learn 10 songs before the show starts!