Episode 3 School for Stars

Millions dream of fame, success and a life in the spotlight,

but few realise what it takes to make it to the top.

You have got to work harder.

We're back for series three

inside one of the most famous stage schools in Britain...

One, two, three, up.

..London's Italia Conti Academy Of Theatre Arts...

..where, for some pupils, dreams of a career on screen and stage

really can come true.

This is what life is like for those seeking the big time.

This is the School For Stars.

Previously on School For Stars,

Tilly found herself struggling with the pressures of school.

It's gotten to the point that I'm crying and I never really cry.

But when Anna calls her into the agency,

it looks like things could be about to change.

This audition is a really big deal for me.

It's make or break time for Tommy in the flash mob routine...

I don't even know what I'm doing.

..but he has more than his dance moves to worry about...

I've split my trousers.

..and old friends Reece and Rhianna

have some new rivals to contend with.

This time it involves a famous actress,

an elephant's bum and an awful lot of mess.

HE GASPS

To achieve their dreams

and stand any chance of finding paid work in film, TV or stage,

it's important that the students here learn the key skills

of hard work, discipline and punctuality.

And one, two.

Ballet class has already started,

but year nine pupil Niki is running late.

Hello, Niki, hallelujah.

Sorry, I didn't know we had ballet, I thought I'd change at lunchtime.

Just come, you, like you are now, come because I desperately need you.

Thank you.

Temps leve.

Still facing down to this corner...

..a jete devont de cote.

Normally Miss Wilkins wouldn't accept a latecomer,

but with ballet exams looming, she's made an exception for Niki today.

-One, two. Thank you, Morgan.

-PIANO MUSIC PLAYS

-CLASS:

-Thank you, Morgan.

I have a ballet exam coming up soon and a modern exam next Sunday.

As an examiner, I wouldn't be happy with that.

Face your quase.

My ballet prep's going OK.

It's a bit scary, though, because I've missed a lot of classes

because of, like, dentist appointments and everything.

Niki's very capable of achieving the highest mark,

a distinction in her ballet exam.

But not if she doesn't pull her socks up and work hard.

I really hope she does get a distinction,

but I need to carry on giving her a kick up the butt.

And, Niki!

And Miss Wilkins fears seem well-founded today...

Front!

..but Niki herself seems fairly relaxed about it.

I've still got a couple of weeks to practise, well, a week,

that should be OK.

Hmm. Maybe just a little too relaxed.

It's fund-raising term

and the school is having a cake-baking competition

in aid of an animal charity.

Friends Reece and Rhianna are off home to start cooking.

The ambitious duo have planned a four-tier spectacular.

We are hoping to do this design.

So we've got the two top layers

and then the two, two bottom layers.

These are going to be like chocolate fingers, stuff like that.

And then we've got Revels for rocks and stuff

and we've got the animals to put around it.

But they're not the only ones set on winning.

There most definitely is a competition

in the competition.

Definitely.

Because Reece and Rhianna are also baking a cake

and we plan to beat them.

We are going to beat them.

With flying colours.

Definitely.

-BOTH:

-Literally.

THEY LAUGH

Charlie and Abi are making their cake

shaped like an elephant's bottom.

Is that a good elephant's bum shape?

I do think it's a good elephant's bum shape, indeed.

We need a little leg slit.

I'm going to pretend that I know what I'm doing.

But it's fine, it's fine. I'm on it.

Over at Reece's, things are definitely not going to plan.

HE GASPS

Oh, my gosh, I'm going to have to soak it up, she's not going to know.

(I spilt the whole of the green dye!)

(Reece! Reece, quick!)

She is coming!

Can you pass the icing sugar? Quick! Pass the icing sugar.

-Are you guys all right now?

-BOTH: Yeah.

Reece!

Nothing.

Oh, my goodness, I actually think it's going to stain.

Oh, I just broke the glove.

I'm actually quite proud of that, you know.

I think that is quite a nice bottom.

Our cake has enough to beat them.

We sort of think that we've got it in the bag hopefully.

Can't touch us.

Abi and Charles are equally dancey

and equally confident

and think their elephant's bottom is shapely enough

to beat Reece and Rhianna's zoo.

Well, we have a good chance.

We have a good chance but I wouldn't say we have it in the bag just yet.

Well, almost.

One, two, three and four.

The bake-off is not the only battle taking place.

Anna, head of the school's agency, has just had an urgent request

from a major TV show to send some of her girls over for a tough audition.

Oh, my name's up there. I didn't know that.

And one person who's very happy is Tilly as she hasn't had

an audition for over six months.

What do you think it's for?

I don't actually know, it's actually quite exciting.

Year ten Mimi gets paid work much more regularly,

and has also been called in to see Anna about auditioning.

Audition.

They're joined by year nine student Alice.

I haven't had my name up on the board for ages.

It's been quite quiet recently.

Yeah, I think it has.

You don't really know when it's going to happen, though,

when you've got your name on the board

and you're just looking for the day for it to come up.

It's a big surprise the next day.

And it's like, "Oh, hello, how are you doing?

"My name's there, that's my name."

Girls, come on.

Sit down.

Now this is quite a tricky casting.

Basically it's going to be a new TV series,

which they're using students from the age of 13 to 15

to play adult roles.

So all the dialogue is adult.

These are the lead parts.

So, Mimi, you're going up for Emma.

And Emma is rather sort of a glamorous housewife type.

She's very glamorous, she's blonde,

so they might have to do something with your hair, should you get it.

Not everyone gets auditions.

Even though I've had quite a few, it's always really exciting

when you get them because you just want to go and really try hard

to get it and get the job and stuff so I feel really excited.

And Tilly, you are going up for the part of Peaches.

Ooh.

And she's the kind of, like,

gregarious, slightly naughty one out of the four.

This audition is a really big deal for me

because I haven't had an audition for ages

and I'm just happy that Anna still sees something inside me,

that I can show to casting directors.

Keep in mind when you're doing it that you are playing adults.

So I wish you the best of luck.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

All right, honey, see you soon.

It's completely different to what any of us have been for before

and if we don't get it, at least we've

gone for the experience and we've tried it.

I'm just really excited.

Year nine student Niki has been falling behind and missing classes.

Now ballet teacher Miss Middleton has sent her to

Miss Wilkins for turning up to class in the wrong outfit.

It's teaching them that if you turn up for a job or an audition

you need to have the correct kit with you,

so if we let it happen here,

then they will be completely unprepared for the world ahead.

Go and get a note from Mr Clarke... Mr Vote,

because that is not acceptable for ballet.

-Absolutely not, go down now.

-OK.

And you've got a ballet exam, Niki.

Well, you might have.

Go on, get down there now, quickly.

I left my bag on Friday in the changing room

and I can't find it now and it's got all of my stuff in it.

So it's off to the headmaster.

Well, yes, you look ridiculous

you won't be doing a ballet class in that.

You're out of class time.

I think you'd better go and put your blues back on.

Mr Vote has ordered Niki to put her school uniform,

known as the blues, back on,

and she now won't be allowed back into dance classes today.

With only a week to go before the exams start,

Niki really needs to start taking things seriously.

So I suggest you do something about it.

We can only do so much and you have to meet us halfway.

That is still unacceptable for class.

Sorry, Miss Middleton.

OK, goodbye. Here we go, then, first positions.

The staff hope that by throwing Niki out of class

it will teach her a valuable lesson.

I think she is reluctant to discipline herself

because it's hard.

You know, we can't do it all for them

and unfortunately the business doesn't have room

for those that are not willing to put the work in.

Niki is only just realising how seriously

her teachers are taking her forgetfulness.

Niki needs to pull her socks up.

So we are looking at Niki to take her grade five ballet exam

in the next few weeks.

If she repeatedly misses class

or when she does turn up doesn't know her stuff,

then we cannot put her in.

Whilst everyone else is preparing for their exam,

Niki doesn't even know whether she'll be taking hers.

I feel really bad because, like...

if I am doing my ballet exam

at least she should have said, "OK, put some..." I don't know,

"Put a T-shirt on and something and wear that and then just join in."

It's crucial that Niki can convince her teachers

she is ready for her exam, and time is running out.

It's the day of the charity bake-off

and the students have spent the past week baking

and are arriving at school with their amazing cakes.

Year eleven pupils Reece and Rhianna

arrive with their four-tier masterpiece,

convinced their creation is head and shoulders

above the rest of the crowd.

Still, they sneak a peek at the competition.

That one does look good.

Yeah, that one does look good.

Oh, very nice.

My cake took me for ever to make.

It took me three days to make all the animals.

And now I can give it to people to eat.

-Wow!

-OK, that is amazing.

Whose is that? Whose is that?

Sadie's. Oh, my goodness.

Look in there. Yeah, big cupcake.

-Big cupcake.

-Look at that.

I know. Thanks for that, Steph.

Some are amazing,

like, a threat amazing.

Reece and Rhianna's friend and biggest rival Charlie

arrives with his cake.

I'm being quietly confident about my cake.

I'll probably eat my words when I see the rest of them.

But for now, quietly confident.

Tell him, Mum.

Charlie's not the only one feeling confident.

Mimi is fitting in a last-minute rehearsal

with her mum before heading off for her big TV audition,

and she's dressed especially for her role as a glamorous housewife.

Do you want to do it without the script? Do it without the script.

I'll try not looking at it, but...

Yeah, just leave it here. OK.

So Mimi's been very lucky and she's done quite a few jobs.

She did a film last year for the BBC

and then she also did a CBBC show

where she played an American line dancer, so really different.

And she's done some really good theatre as well,

so she had a main character part at the Royal Court

and she's done some commercials.

So she's been really, really lucky.

She's even done a computer game.

Mimi's such an old hand at auditions that even today's big casting

doesn't faze her in her bid to become an actress.

I've always wanted to be an actress since I was young.

I really liked watching them on TV, I was like, "Oh, I want to do that."

So, yeah, I really enjoy it as well.

So it's good to do something you enjoy.

As is the case in many auditions,

cameras are not allowed to film inside.

How did it go, Mimi?

So good, it was so good.

I went in and then because I was worried about the hair

and she said, "Oh, your hair is so nice, it's so thick."

And I was, like, "Thank you."

And we did it, we just went straight in and did it

and then she was, like,

"That was brilliant, that was so good, don't need you to do it again.

"Thanks very much you can go."

Good, good, good. Well done.

Yeah, now that I've done it and I've got a good response

I really want it now, so if I don't get it I'll be really sad.

But I'm glad I got to go in and do it and she got to see me,

so I'm happy.

Grade five ballet students have finally got their exam timetable,

and Niki has been given a provisional time.

Niki, 1.10.

But Niki has missed so many classes this term,

she's still to convince Miss Wilkins that she's ready to take the exam.

Right, you've got five minutes to go a get yourself ready for ballet.

-Is that the leotard you've got for me today?

-Yes.

That's the only one you've got?

It's not a ballet leotard, is it?

I can get one.

You will do for next week but at least it's better

than what you were wearing the other day because that was awful.

Have you got pink tights with you?

-Yes, I've got ballet shoes too.

-Have you got your ballet shoes?

-Yes.

Right, I need to see you dancing.

I need to make a decision

-as to whether you're going to do this exam or not.

-OK.

I don't think you've got your head in the right place yet.

So I need your head in the right place,

I need you focused and I want to see what you can do.

-OK.

-All right, off you go. Goodbye.

Hopefully, she's going to take it on board.

This really is her last chance to show me what she's made of

and if she doesn't show it to me today

I'm not going to be able to enter her for her ballet exam.

She really needs to get herself together.

PIANO MUSIC PLAYS

Arriving on time with neat hair and the correct outfit,

at least Niki may be in with a chance this time.

Out, out.

Again.

But Miss Wilkins is really going to put Niki through her paces

before she decides to make her final decision.

You started with your knees coming this way.

Right foot in front, brains focused, please.

The only person who can do it is you.

Thank you, Morgan.

-PIANO MUSIC PLAYS

-Two, three, four.

Jete, temps leve, pas de bourree, jete.

SHE SCREAMS

Three?

No, I wanted four. Hands up who did it four times.

-Two.

-Three.

-Four?

If you can do it three, why can't you do it four?

I don't know.

I'll tell you why, it's because you thought, "This is good."

And out came the Niki smile and it all went wrong.

Keep that focus.

You've got to keep that focus.

Thank you, Morgan.

-And...

-PIANO MUSIC PLAYS

Miss Wilkins is desperate for Niki to do as well as she knows she can.

So she's not going to take the pressure off

her disorganised student.

No. Yes.

Front, front.

Thank you. Lovely, but do that every time,

not just when I'm on your case.

I think my ballet class went OK.

Miss Wilkins was a bit pushy towards me but I think it was OK.

O-one and a two-ooh-ooh-ooh and a...

But it still remains to be seen

whether Miss Wilkins' strictness has paid off

and Niki will be allowed to take her exam.

No monkeys, no monkeys, long...

No, no, no.

Stop dashing ahead.

I am going to put Niki forward for the exam.

Hopefully by me being on her case, then I will get what I want.

It's the afternoon of the bake-off and former pupil Claire Sweeney

has been invited back to judge the competition.

Wow!

I'm loving this one. This is so cute.

Ain't that great? Look at that one.

Great, isn't it?

I'm very excited. Are you, Charlie?

-I'm very anxious.

-I'm very anxious.

We don't reckon that we beat Reece and Rhianna, but...

Theirs is really, really good... unfortunately.

I quite like this one because I just like the fact

that she's done the back of the elephant,

she's done the elephant's bum. Which is lovely.

I hope that she looks at our one, though.

Well, she's going to look at all of them, Rhianna.

OK, well, I hope that our one stands out, you know...

With the result about to be announced,

School Principal Anne introduces the famous actress and judge.

I'm really, really pleased that Claire Sweeney's

come to judge this for us.

She's one of our old girls, and I say that but she's very young.

Less of the old!

Which ones have you chosen?

It's been so hard,

but I have gone got two joint-firsts.

Amber...

and Sadie.

CHEERING

Reece and Rhianna and Abi and Charles have all lost out

to a couple of junior bakers.

Well done, everyone, it was so brilliant.

I'm happy because I came joint-first with Amber in the cake competition

and I'm really happy about that.

I can't believe I won, I'm so surprised.

Maybe it looked too good. I don't know.

Maybe it was too good to the fact that they thought

that we didn't make it, sort of thing?

Yeah, maybe.

It's Sunday and the morning of Niki's ballet exam

and, for once, she's arrived an hour early.

I'm feeling really, like, excited about it.

I'm not scared about it because I've worked hard

and, like, I've been pushing myself.

Miss Wilkins is also here early to help her prepare.

It's all part of it, they have to look right.

My hair's curly.

OK, where's your hair grips?

Miss Wilkins does her hair to help her look perfect for the exam.

Goodness, Niki, look at this.

I've never seen you look so gorgeous.

Now she's looking immaculate, it's crunch time.

During the exam, cameras aren't allowed into the room.

Right, well, we've just sent Niki and her friends in

and they seemed very together.

They looked lovely, so fingers crossed.

An hour later, Niki's ballet exam is over,

and Niki thinks she has cause to celebrate.

I think my exam went really well.

I did my set leg very well and I didn't get anything wrong,

so I'm really happy.

Looks like she's done all she can.

Now she'll just have to wait for her results.

Hip, hip, step, turn, step.

One, two, three, four, five.

This has to literally go.

Senior student Cameron has been busy choreographing

a flash mob routine.

A flash mob is when a group of people blend in with the crowd

and then suddenly surprise them with some kind of routine.

For ever. Hip, hip.

Juniors Ella, Jade and Tommy have all been picked to dance

alongside the seniors

and it looks like they're doing the Juniors proud.

I am quite nervous because I want to show that

the juniors can do

what the students can.

-Because I think we're capable of it.

-Yeah.

Tilly's dad has arrived to take her to the TV audition

for extrovert bar-singer Peaches.

Tilly has even bought a new outfit to help get into character

and catch the casting director's eye.

Peaches is quite a bubbly character

and she stands out from the crowd

and everyone does what she tells them to do.

That's very similar to what I do

because I'm quite a bubbly character and I'm quite bossy.

Tilly's self-confidence has been low recently

and after a few knock-backs,

today's audition has helped her realise

she can still achieve her showbiz dreams.

Yesterday I was upset and to deal with it

I just have to think about the good side of it.

Think of my cup half full than half empty.

It might be weeks before Tilly finds out if she has got the job.

I've just come out of my audition for the role of Peaches

and it went really good.

They really liked me, I hope.

It's given me a really big confidence boost right now

because I've been feeling really funny recently

but now that they've said that I've done everything really well

I'm just happy, really happy.

After just a few hours of rehearsals,

Cameron's crew are about to perform their flash mob.

The idea is to entertain the surprised shoppers

and hopefully raise the profile of the students' chosen charity,

as well as earning it loads of money.

I've just texted them, saying, "We go in five."

It's important everyone blends into the crowd

before they start dancing

and Cameron has some concerns.

I'm worried about the public not stopping,

not supporting the cause that we're doing it for,

walking through the middle, getting kicked in the face by a lift.

People just forgetting it or not hearing the music or

there are so many things that could go wrong

but fingers crossed they won't.

But there's no time to be nervous.

With all the dancers, including Ella and Jade,

hiding around the shopping centre,

the big moment has finally arrived and the show's about to begin.

MUSIC: "Fame"

Some random man just joined in, that was hilarious.

The flash mob is attracting the shoppers' attention,

but will everyone remember their moves?

There's Jade pretending to be a shopper, waiting to join in.

And any concerns Ella had about learning the routine were needless,

she's nailing it.

And there goes Jade.

Now it's year seven pupil Tommy's chance to prove

he can keep up with the seniors.

Five, six, seven, eight.

Here comes Tommy's big Fame jump moment.

Here we go!

And he's done it.

Whoo!

It's all over as quickly as it began

and the dancers fade back into the crowd they've drawn.

The shoppers are really impressed.

I was just sitting here having my lunch

and all of a sudden, music everywhere.

So I enjoyed the dancers in stereo.

I just thought they were just normal shoppers

and then out of nowhere they just started dancing.

It was really good.

I wasn't expecting it. It just started, which was like, "Whoa!"

It went really well,

except from that I split my trousers doing the Fame jump.

-It was fun.

-It was good, it was fun. I love it because it's spontaneous

and everybody thinks "Where did that come from?"

I love everyone's reactions, it's brilliant to watch as well.

Ready? Three, two, one.

THEY ROAR

The students have not only performed to their highest standard,

they have also raised lots of money for charity.

I'm so pleased and so proud of them all.

They've done so well for so little rehearsals so I'm happy.

So it all goes to show

that a little bit of forward planning, hard work and discipline

can lead to great things in the world of show business.

Next time on School For Stars,

Niki receives a devastating blow about her future at the school.

I'm here for you all the time, all right?

I'll miss my friends, I'll miss everyone.

Top director Hayley is back from LA

to select dancers for a performance at a famous football club,

but for one of those selected, things take a turn for the worse.

-Oh, you've ruined everything!

-Sorry.

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