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Joseph winner records charity single

Lee Mead - secures Joseph role
Lee Mead - secures Joseph role

The winner of BBC talent show 'Any Dream Will Do' yesterday recorded the video for a charity version of the title song.

Lee Mead's single will go on sale this week and will raise money for Children In Need.

Lee, 25, won Saturday night's public vote to become the star of the new production of 'Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat' at London's Adelphi theatre. He has a busy month ahead as rehearsals start today.

The production opens for previews on July 6 and the critics will get their chance to review the show at the formal opening on July 17.

When Lee was told he had won, he said: "The support (for me) grew every week and I thank everyone so much."

He then issued a challenge to members of the television audience who did not ring in with their support, telling them: "Those that didn't vote I'm going to go out there and give you a hell of a show."

Lee, originally from Southend-on-Sea, Essex, but now living in Brockley, south London, has been a professional singer and actor for the past five years and understudied in the shows Phantom of the Opera, Tommy and Miss Saigon. He also danced in Geri Halliwell's video for It's Raining Men.

Judge and theatre impresario Bill Kenwright told him: "You've worked for me. You've understudied for me. I should have seen back then what everybody has seen for the last eight weeks. You are not an understudy. You're a leading man. You're a star. It's taught me a lot this series."

Lee - who was the bookies' favourite to win - said Joseph was the first show he saw as a child and added: "I was confident I would go quite far in the competition but never thought I would get
to the final, but to win is just incredible and it won't sink in for a long time."

Musical supremo Andrew Lloyd Webber cast a critical eye as the 12 wannabe Josephs were whittled down to Saturday's winner but had no say in the final decision which was decided purely by a public vote.

After the result was announced, he said: "I'm absolutely delighted. Lee may have been an understudy, but he's never sung in front of me, or sung in front of millions of people before.
"He did a fantastic job."

Lee said he is already recognised in the street and added: "I'd like to think what the public liked about me is I stayed true to who I am as a person and a performer. I haven't tried to change too much, I'm a very grounded guy."

More than three million votes were cast during the final.

The runner up was Keith Jack, 19, a supermarket customer service assistant, from Dalkeith, Midlothian, who said: "Obviously I'm gutted to come so close, but hopefully this won't be the last that people will see of me. I think Lee is a fantastic performer and I am genuinely happy for him.
I'm going to go back to Scotland for a bit of cold air and a rest, and then hopefully something good will come of this.”

In third place was Lewis Bradley, 18, a student originally from Middlesbrough but now living in London.

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