Is The Voice going a bit Variety? Last week we had Bernie Clifton, tonight we had a 74-year-old Liverpudlian gent who’d sung with The Beatles. And he could sing! Not that anyone turned for him. The younger coaching line-up guessed it was a ‘veteran’ voice and decided he wasn’t for them. Where’s Sir Tom when you need him?
There was also Chase Morton, a 30-year-old cage-fighter from Northampton who practised his moves on a somewhat reluctant Ricky Wilson and super confident rapping/country violinist Charley Blue. She chose Will.i.am, prompting Boy George to comment that the pairing "would be bonkers”. Former X Factor contestant Lydia Lucy also opted to join Will after getting three turns, but she’s up against some stiff competition.
It was another mixed session for Boy George. He lost out again to Ricky in a pitch for Londoner Janine Dyer who performed a soulful version of Bridge Over Troubled Water and whose gospel singing roots should have put her firmly in George’s camp. No. The 38-year-old wife of former footballer Bruce Dyer opted for the Indy Boy. “Oooh, look at him,” said Janine. “He just bats those lashes,” laughed Boy George. “He charms the pants off everyone.” Meanwhile, the Karma Chameleon's 'dragdar' failed to spot Davina De Campo, who went home disappointed.
But the Boy did get two more acts onto his team: Melissa Cavanagh, 23, who was embracing life after being cancer-free for 10 years, and platform-soled Harry Fisher who almost broke down in tears after getting through. He was already feeling emotional, though, having only lived in London’s bright lights for three weeks after leaving the family home in Southampton for a uni place. Poor soul was having to buy microwave burgers from the newsagent…
It was a relatively quiet night for Paloma, who claimed to be ‘Sir Tom’ at one stage, but later successfully pitched for 28-year-old Megan Reece from Wolverhampton.
Perhaps, though, the best Variety act of the night was Ricky and Paloma’s duet of their co-written Rap Attack, penned when they worked together in a bar 15 years ago. Now, unless we misheard, it went something like this:
“I wanna rap attack; I keep my beats on my back in a rucksack; Gotta keep it fresh like a Tic Tac; two calories, got my face in the National Gallery”
Normally, you’d say don’t give up the day job… Meantime, click here for all the "Bantomime" from tonight's show
The Voice continues next Saturday on BBC1
