I am very confused! Only weeks ago Andrew Lloyd Webber was criticising the BBC and saying that he wouldn’t be doing a show with them this year. In fact he hinted that he may take his Wizard Of Oz show to ITV instead.

However, today the BBC have announced that their search for Dorothy is back on. The show will be presented by Graham Norton and I am thinking that the BBC had a quick rethink when they faced the possibility of losing Lloyd Webber to ITV and Norton to Channel 4.

Andrew Lloyd Webber said: “Our previous musical talent searches have provided an incredible shot in the arm for musical theatre in Britain and I can’t wait to work with the BBC again in the hunt for Dorothy – an iconic role of course made famous by a young Judy Garland in the film in 1939, but, as a cat man myself, however, I approach casting Toto with considerable trepidation.”

Jay Hunt, Controller, BBC One said: “The Wizard Of Oz is one of the great musicals and I am sure BBC One audiences will delight in having a front row seat in the casting of a new musical star.”

Mark Linsey, Controller, Entertainment Commissioning said: “I’m thrilled to be announcing this commission today. BBC One has a proven track record in musical theatre talent searches so I’m delighted to be working with Andrew again and can’t wait to see what wonderful talent we unearth in the process.”

The search for Dorothy will begin with auditions in several UK cities in early 2010.

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