Starstruck is the new singing competition hosted by Olly Murs which began on ITV in February 2022. There are jaw-dropping vocals and wow factor transformations in this show that sees hit 1990s show Stars in Their Eyes get a 21st-century makeover. Each week, four teams made up of three ordinary members of the public transform into some of the world’s biggest music icons, including Freddie Mercury, Lady Gaga, Ariana Grande and Marvin Gaye. Judges Sheridan Smith, Jason Manford, Beverley Knight and Adam Lambert have a seriously tough time choosing their favorite team to perform again in the sing-off at the end of each show, which sees the ultimate solo sound-alike going through to a grand final at the end of the series for a chance to win a £50,000 prize!
Olly Murs says: “I’m really excited to be hosting a big Saturday Night show like Starstruck. It ticks all the boxes; it’s about feel-good, family fun which is something we all need right now. The performances should keep us well entertained and I can’t wait to see whether anyone wants to be transformed into me for the night!”
Here's all you need to know about ITV's Starstruck...
'Starstruck' release date on ITV
Starstruck is an eight-part competition that starts on ITV on Saturday, Feb. 12 at 8.30 pm and runs weekly. See how the Starstruck competition works below.
Is there a trailer for 'Starstruck' on ITV?
Yes! Take a look at the Starstruck trailer released by ITV. Looks like host Olly and the judges had a lot of fun.
How 'Starstruck' on ITV works
Starstruck is an eight-part talent show is pretty similar to Stars In Their Eyes but with a twist. Each week four teams made up of three ordinary members of the public get a superstar makeover and transform into their idols to perform as a group - this first week includes Team Freddie Mercury, Team Marvin Gaye, Team Lady Gaga and Team Ariana Grande. Judges Sheridan Smith, Jason Manford, Beverley Knight and current Queen frontman Adam Lambert make up the panel that chooses their favorite team to perform again in a sing-off between all three members, voted on by the studio audience, the winner of which goes through to the final and a chance to win a £50,000 prize…
The new series has been compared to the iconic singing show Stars in their Eyes, which saw contestants impersonating famous singers. Matthew Kelly hosted the original competition, which ran between 1990 - 2006. It was rebooted in 2015 with Harry Hill hosting, but it was axed in 2015.
ITV is confident that it will be a welcome addition to their existing entertainment shows, with ITV’s Managing Director of Media and Entertainment, Kevin Lygo saying: "ITV is and will always be the home of big entertainment shows, we’ve had over 10 million viewers tuning in to The Masked Singer, and over 8 million watching Saturday Night Takeaway when it returned last month."
'Starstruck' host Olly Murs on hosting the ITV series
Starstruck will be hosted on ITV by Olly Murs. The Troublemaker singer, 37, has been a judge on The Voice UK on ITV since 2018, having previously made his name on the ITV talent show The X Factor.
"We all remember Stars in Their Eyes, so it’s been nice to freshen the whole thing up. When I first walked onto the stage, I couldn’t believe how big it was and just the size of the show – it was like being at London’s The O2! I was like, 'Wow, this is huge!' And then you’ve got these big stars like Beverley, Sheridan, and Adam – and Jason, who’s an even bigger diva!
"What’s refreshing is that we have some modern artists on the show. One guy who’s performing as Rag’n’Bone Man actually gets a tattoo and cuts off his hair to look exactly like him. It’s unbelievable! There’s even a 'Team Olly Murs'! It’s a really humbling moment and quite emotional. I could have hugged them!"
'Starstruck' judges — Sheridan Smith, Adam Lambert, Jason Manford and Beverley Knight give us their thoughts.
Sheridan Smith, Adam Lambert, Jason Manford and Beverley Knight join Olly Murs in the Starstruck studio as judges. Here's what they all had to say...
* Sheridan Smith is an acclaimed actress and stage singer who has appeared in TV dramas such as Cilla, Four Lives, The Teacher and No Return. "I guess I’m coming to this show as an actor," says Sheridan. "I play a lot of real-life people, and I obsess about them and research them a lot. So what I’m really looking for are all those mannerisms and whether the contestants have studied the artist. ‘It’s incredible because, although all the teams come out as all the same person, there will be different looks or they’ll be performing as the artist at different stages of that person’s career."
* Adam Lambert is Queen’s current frontman, who found fame as runner-up on American Idol in 2009. "It’s tricky because we’re having to judge on a whole handful of criteria, the look, the sound, the movement," explains Adam. "But the really cool thing about the show is that it’s a bucket list moment for these people. They’re superfans. They’re getting up on stage because they love these artists and they want to pay tribute. It’s a real celebration!"
* Jason Manford is a comedian and musical theatre actor, who came second as Hedgehog on The Masked Singer in 2020. He recently hosted Big Night Of Musicals on BBC1. "‘I grew up watching things like Stars in Their Eyes, and Saturday-night telly in general, so this show just felt like a good fit for me," says Jason. "Don’t get me wrong, I’m stuck on the end of the panel with these three legends and I’m talking about the nuances of singing in front of Sheridan, Adam and Beverley. It makes me feel like I’ve just told Dragons’ Den star Deborah Meaden that I’ve made £15 on eBay! But it’s just a good laugh."
* Beverley Knight is an award-winning singer and musical theatre star, who makes her TV judging debut in Starstruck. She says: “Every show we get to witness ordinary people emulate extraordinary icons on a huge scale and I’m so here for it! I’m looking forward to hearing and seeing those spectacular transformations and being a cheerleader for every contestant. The transformations in this show are amazing. Some people walk on stage and they really have the look of the person they’re emulating. But once you’ve got past that, then, for me, it’s like, “OK, do you sound like them? Do you walk like them? Do you hold the mic like them?” All those little nuances that make up that musical star. I’m all about the vocals, but I also want to be entertained! I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, I would love to transform into Prince because I’m so obsessed with him. I would sound zero like him, but I love him so much!"
