Episode 5 The Choir: Gareth's Best in Britain

# I say la

# La, la, la, la La, la, la, la

# La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la...

# Hey, hey, hey, hey! #

I loved it!

# Responsibility... #

Gareth Malone is searching for the UK's most entertaining

undiscovered amateur choir.

Oof!

He's scoured the nation...

Hello, Scotland!

..hosting sing-offs across the country...

# Ooh, ooh, ooh, ah! #

I would really like to take you through to

the next stage of the contest.

LOUD CHEERING

..and hand-picked four groups.

Yes!

WHOOPING AND LAUGHTER

This week, Gareth's chosen choirs

come together for the first time at boot camp.

Hello, my regional champions!

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

With help from some of the best in the business...

How are we going to get this to performance level?

-I'm not trying to attack you, you know this.

-Yeah.

-I'm trying to help.

Gareth will put the groups through intense mentoring.

This is bloody rehearsing, this is what we're here to do.

-Did you make it?

-I don't know.

Just... We're working so hard.

I'm not here to upset people, I am here to make people better.

The choirs will then face a jury of musical experts.

Their votes decide who will make the grand final...

I wanted to stand up out of my chair and say, "Yes!"

..and which group will leave the contest for good.

They were completely out of tune, for me.

No, they were not out of tune.

The group that they felt should take the third and final place

in the contest is...

Wow, look at this.

It's an amazingly imposing building to come into.

Huge statue of Queen Victoria, who opened it in 1886,

and it's the sort of place that makes you think...

HE GASPS

..I'm going to have to do, I'm going to have to do good work here.

Gareth has brought the semifinalists to the world-renowned

Royal Holloway University in London.

It's one of the top five places in the country for studying music.

And if this doesn't draw inspiration from these singers,

then I don't know what will.

Wow.

-Oh, my word.

-Wow.

-What?

Look at that.

The groups are arriving to represent four different regions of the UK.

Wow.

Flying the flag for the South West,

Exeter University group, Semi-Toned.

-I don't know.

-Being such a grand place,

-it feels like we're going to do quite serious stuff here.

-Yeah.

It almost feels like you're going to Hogwarts.

-Oh, my God.

-LAUGHTER

Representing the South East

is school choir The Bulmershe Ensemble.

This is so huge. Everything's gone up in the scale. This is so cool.

-I don't think we're in Durham any more.

-No.

-No.

-We've come so far now...

-Mm.

-..we just don't want to let go of it now.

Gareth's choice from Scotland and the North is Mums in Durham.

And arriving to represent the Midlands and Wales,

gospel choir EAGA.

Gareth did warn us. He said,

"I've been nice to you guys, but from now on,

"things get serious."

Hello, my regional champions!

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

Congratulations on making it to this,

the boot camp stage of the contest, which is, of course, the semifinal.

WHOOPING AND CHEERING

Up till now, I think you've had a fairly easy ride of it. No more.

Your performance will be in just three days' time.

-ALL:

-Ooh!

And I want you to sing a song that I've chosen specifically

to target your Achilles heel.

We all have weaknesses and the only way to improve on those

weaknesses is to tackle them head on.

I expect you're all itching to know what songs I've chosen for you,

so off you all go to your classrooms,

where all will be revealed.

Good luck.

MUTED CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

Oh, my God.

-ALL:

-Ooh!

LAUGHTER

"Read me."

-Are we ready?

-We're ready.

Mums in Durham formed just a year ago

and hadn't performed to anyone until they auditioned for Gareth.

"To develop, you need to tackle your lack of self-belief,

"so I've given you a song with attitude that's big,

"bold and requires bucket-loads of confidence."

MUSIC: Who Do You Think You Are by The Spice Girls

-No!

-Spice Girls!

-LAUGHTER AND APPLAUSE

-Spice Girls!

-Spice Girls, brilliant.

I am so happy!

CHEERING

-This is my ultimate hairbrush...

-Yes!

-..song!

-Hello, there we are.

-Hi!

-Hello!

-Hi. Do you love me, or do you hate me?

-We love you!

-APPLAUSE

-Oh, thank God.

But what are your instant thoughts?

Our concern is the entertainment side of it.

That, for me, is the thing that's missing,

is that entertainment factor and that confidence.

I want to see how this song can draw something out of you.

-I don't know what that is, but I await to see.

-So do we!

-Yes, fair enough.

-LAUGHTER

-OK, are we ready?

-Yeah.

-OK, right.

The Bulmershe Ensemble are the youngest group in the contest.

Half of the group have finished their A-levels and are moving

on to the next stage of their lives.

"I feel your weakness lies in how you connect to a song emotionally.

"I want to see a performance from you in which you convey something

"with feeling, which moves the audience and the jury."

SLOW PIANO MUSIC

# Change your heart

# Look around you

# I need your loving... #

It's just a bit....

-It's flat.

-There's nothing snazzy about it!

-No!

I don't know the song, I've never heard it before in my life.

Um, so it's a bit weird to kind of, like, listen to a song

and not know it and be like, we're performing this in three days.

Um...

"Dear Semi-Toned, I've chosen a song that is inescapably earnest,

"a song that's achieved almost iconic status."

MUSIC: Candle In The Wind by Elton John

Yeah...

What?

-Oh, my...

-Candle In The wind?

-Yes!

# Goodbye, Norma Jeane... #

-Yes!

-Of course it is!

# Though I never knew you at all... #

So far in the contest,

Semi-Toned have impressed and entertained in equal measure.

# Bow, bow, bow!

# Oh, baby, baby, how was I supposed to know...

# That something wasn't right, yeah? #

But Gareth wants them to move beyond the archness

and camp comedy of university a cappella.

-Hello.

-Hello.

-Hello!

Hello, gentlemen.

-How are you feeling about it?

-Good.

-Brilliant.

-Yeah? Oh.

Really good.

-Really? Everyone?

-You sound surprised.

-I actually am, yes.

-I thought you'd hate it. But you like it.

-Yeah.

I think there's a danger in the song

that it could come across as quite cheesy.

You mean sort of standing up on the key change...

Yeah, sort of swaying and clicking and that kind of thing, and it's,

it's not that song at all so we need to be wary.

I think we have to be genuine, really genuine the whole time.

This is going to be a tough one, actually,

to do it with honesty that it needs

and that's what Gareth's really looking for in us.

That's going to be difficult for, you know, a group, sort of,

11 guys to pull off.

I think I've picked, actually, a fairly risky song for Semi-Toned.

I remember, in 1997,

a massive outpouring of national grief around Diana,

and that focusing around this song.

It absolutely hinges on there being emotion

and if that's not there, it won't work.

"Hello, EAGA.

"Collectively, you make a wonderful and uplifting sound.

"Equally, the sound can be overwhelming,

"due to issues with volume control."

"I have selected a song that will force you to master

"the full range of delivery, from gentle to powerful."

# It's oh, so quiet

# Shh, shh

# It's oh, so still

# Shh, shh

# And so peaceful until...

# You fall in love, zing-boom

# The sky up above, zing-boom

# It's caving in

# Wow...! #

Yeah...interesting.

It's his bootcamp, and we've got a bootcamp song.

LAUGHTER

See how they're getting on. Hello!

Oh, wow!

You look like you're hard at it in here(!)

LAUGHTER

-Have you all just given up?

-No, no, no!

-How are you feeling about the Bjork song?

-Challenged.

Don't feel like I'm trying to trap you, here.

It's an opportunity for you to work on the things that you need to do.

I commend this song to you.

I think I've made an excellent choice.

-Best of luck.

-LAUGHTER

All right? See you later. Thank you.

I'm not sure they loved it, um...to put it mildly.

I don't think they liked it at all.

What on earth is this?

Does he want us to go home?

They literally, literally need to pick themselves up off the floor

and get to work.

Songs revealed, the groups settle into their home from home

for the next two days.

It's really exciting to see the kids' reactions

to having their own room and being away from home.

Oh, this is really cute!

Perfect. Nice and comfortable.

Without my mum, I probably would have forgotten

quite a few things for this trip.

She even packed me some food for the train, earlier this morning,

in case I got a bit hungry.

Thank the world for mums.

The choirs have just 48 hours to devise arrangements,

allocate parts and conjure up choreography.

I think we're kind of enjoying being away from home a little bit.

# As long as you're getting... #

But I think when the long hours kick in,

we probably are going to feel it a bit more.

LAUGHTER

By the end of bootcamp, to secure their place in the grand final,

the choirs will be expected to put on a show stopping performance

for a 300-strong audience

who will pack out the university's concert hall.

We should be willing to put ourselves on the line

a little bit with this.

The challenge, here, is doable,

but you have to go at it hammer and tongs from the word go.

Ten o'clock tomorrow morning, am I going to hear people

already arranged and singing and starting?

Or are groups going to be just throwing up their hands in the air,

saying, "We can't do it"?

KNOCKING

-Morning!

-Hello.

-Are you still in your pyjamas?

-Yeah.

Breakfast is at 7:50.

So, get ready.

It's the first day of classes

in which the choirs will work on their songs.

# ..do you think you are? #

A few of us were arranging the song until three in the morning.

It's a bootcamp, so it's like hell week when you're in the army.

So less sleep, much work, much food.

9am, and lessons are getting under way.

Hi, boys.

They will be led by four mentors - two top vocal coaches...

Hello, everyone.

..and two performance experts.

What's going on, Semi-Toned?

The mentors' job is to rapidly improve

how all the choirs sound and move

ahead of their semifinal performance.

THEY CLAP

# It's nice and quiet...

# Ts-ts, quiet, ts-ts, quiet...

# But soon again

# Starts another big riot... #

HALF-HEARTED TRUMPET FANFARE

LAUGHTER

Appraising the progress of gospel group EAGA

is former Brit School tutor Mark De-Lisser.

All right, let's go again. Count them in.

Ready?

Their musical director is the bishop's 20-year-old son Jordan.

# Too-lah

# Too-lah

# Hey

# Too-lah. #

It has no energy. It's not communicating.

Pat, what's the problem?

I don't know my part, yet.

If you don't know your part, just say, "I don't know my part."

And then we can fix it, more than just standing there, going...

That infuriates me.

So, here's an opportunity for everyone else, now, to say -

is there a section of this song that you just don't know?

-Pastor Samuel.

-Yes, sir.

OK, what section?

It's in the beginning, in the lead,

when...Sister Hannah says, "You're all alone."

How does the bass come in there?

All right, all right.

My timing for "too-lah", the first part.

OK, all right. Jordan, you noting all of these?

OK, all right, let's go.

-Bishop, same?

-Same thing, yeah.

You see this, now?

I've asked the question, "Is everybody all right?"

And there's a few hands. But then when I start to drill down,

everybody has got an issue.

How are we going to get this to performance level

if you're not going to speak up?

He needs to know what needs to be fixed.

He can fix it. Yeah?

Jordan is the youngest member of EAGA.

So we're going to get the three parts first,

and the standard "oohs".

'I think I was 17,'

18 years old, when I was put in charge of the choir.

And, to be honest with you, it was a big responsibility.

'I took music serious, but not that level,

'to be a musical director.'

Like, that's massive, man.

'Because the choir is very important to my dad, I decided to do it.'

Can you just be confident in your key?

Ready to go?

'Having a younger boss is, like, oh, my days, like...'

"I was born before you, and you're telling me what to do"

and, to be honest with you, sometimes, I'm like,

"No, I can't deal with this right now."

So, how is it going?

I don't know. I guess I feel a lot of pressure.

But, like, this is what I love to do,

so, like, although it's a lot of pressure, I'm enjoying the pressure.

I think you're really talented.

The one thing that's missing with you

is permission to just be in charge.

Is it because...

Is it because your dad is the bishop?

Yeah...

He has a lot of charge, but sometimes,

it's more to do with the choir itself,

that because I'm younger than them, it can be a problem at times.

There is a day where you go, "I'm a leader."

And I think that today is today, frankly.

-Yeah?

-Yeah.

-Just take charge.

Tucked into one corner of Royal Holloway is its gilded chapel,

which maintains the tradition of sung services each morning.

Gareth has called school choir Bulmershe Ensemble here

for solo auditions.

Welcome to the chapel, everyone.

I think, fundamentally, your song requires a solo at the beginning

that can conjure up the right kind of atmosphere.

Here is a perfect spot to hear each of you

that wants to go for the solo.

OK, Charlie. Give us a line.

# I need your lovin'

# Like the sunshine... #

# Like the sunshine. #

OK, good. All right. Haven't quite learned the tune.

-Yeah.

-That is a priority.

All right, who's next?

Abhishek?

# I need your lovin'

# Like the sunshine. #

Is it possible to sound bad in here?

LAUGHTER

# Change you heart

# Look around you

# I need your lovin'

# Like the sunshine. #

When you sing, I think the colour of the sound is right.

There is a real...mmm. There's a real depth, there.

But as soon as I go, "Right, focus on you."

-HE GASPS

-It goes like that.

I've seen you on stage.

I know that there is a confident person there,

waiting to come out.

Why don't we just have a quick chat and send everyone else off?

Is that all right?

-You may go.

-ALL:

-Thank you.

18-year-old Jacqueline has been in the choir for three years,

but has never taken the lead soloist role.

# Change your heart

# It will astound you. #

Everything from here upwards is sort of off.

-Yeah.

-Do you not like making eye contact when you're singing?

-Not really.

-Do you feel...?

It just feels like you're so uneasy about it

and I just can't get to the bottom of why.

Because it's affecting everything in your singing as well.

You're holding...

# Change your heart, it will...la-la-la. #

-It's not getting out beyond here.

-Yeah.

# Change your heart It will astound you. #

I just think, Jacqueline, what have you got to fear?

-Messing it up.

-So what?

I mean, really, in the grand scheme of your life,

in the grand scheme of the universe,

when all the planets and suns have died,

no-one will remember this.

-Yeah.

-So, who cares? There's a challenge, here.

Broad shoulders. Stand tall. Sing it.

Nothing is going to happen to you.

-Agreed?

-Yeah.

All right. OK. You can go.

-Yeah, I'm scared.

-SHE LAUGHS

It's so daunting that it's the semifinals

and everything relies on one performance,

because we want this so badly.

There have been moments in my life where I think,

"Am I going to run away from this challenge?

"Or am I going to fight?"

That's what I want to see from them. I'm not seeing it at the moment.

I'm seeing... "Oh, dare we? Can I? May I? Should I?"

Yes, you should, and it's now.

Ready?

HE PLAYS KEYBOARD

# The race is on to get out of the bottom... #

Late morning.

# ..so your roots are forgotten... #

And the focus of Gareth's session with Mums In Durham

is their chosen lead vocalists Louise and Helen.

# You've got the bug Superstar, you've been bitten

# Your trumpet's blowing for far too long... #

Why are you holding the back of your head?

-Because it's so high for me, really.

-# La-la-la-la... #

-It really hurts.

-Where?

-Everywhere.

LAUGHTER

Is it hard to get the support?

It's because everything's not in the same place.

But actually, that was all right.

I mean, you're musical enough to fake it.

LAUGHTER

It would be best, Helen, if you didn't have to do that.

Do it again for me. One, two, three...

# You're swelling out in the wrong direction

# You've got the bug, Superstar, you've been bitten. #

And she's nine months pregnant.

-Yeah, now, with the eyes open.

-No!

# You're swelling out in the wrong direction... #

You're taking all my comfort blankets away!

25-year-old Helen is expecting her second child.

Oh, wow!

Oh, thank you. They're gorgeous.

She currently works as a teaching assistant,

but, as a teenager, harboured ambitions of being a performer.

This is, like, a once-in-a-lifetime thing to me,

and something I always, always wanted the opportunity to do.

I think, when I was younger, I could have gone to university,

and done this, so to kind of revisit it,

and get this little snapshot of it, is a big deal to me.

I just think Helen is really good.

She was great in the last solo,

and if you've got someone who is a great singer, put them out front.

Lunchtime.

I'm getting some Tabasco.

The food needs to be on fire, as much as we are.

A welcome break before an afternoon of classes

in which arrangements must be finalised

to keep the choirs on track.

I'd say I'm happy, but we've still got to show Gareth the arrangement

and so we're a little bit nervous about that

but we think he'll like it.

-# They crawled out of the woodwork

-Ooh...

# And they whispered into your brain... #

Gareth is in with university a cappella group Semi-Toned.

They have a finished arrangement and have picked a soloist -

21-year-old language student Tommy.

# Like a candle in the wind... #

So, look, to take nothing away from your excellent vocal skills, but...

How did you get to it? Why you?

I don't know. We just find the soloist who best suits the song.

OK. I'm not seeing that, actually.

This isn't about treading on toes. This is about making sure

you are definitely fielding the right player.

Does anyone else feel

like they might have a version of it that's different?

I'd like to hear Michael do it.

OK. Can we try that?

-Sorry, Tommy.

-That's OK.

-Let's just have a listen.

# Ooh...

# Goodbye, Norma Jeane

# Though I never knew you at all

# You had the grace to hold yourself

# When those around you crawled. #

What do you think?

-Is it awkward for you?

-I feel like it is.

I mean, it's awkward, because I don't know...

-Well, let me take the awkwardness away...

-Please.

Because I'm a third party, and I'm just going to be honest with you.

Once you get to a certain level, it becomes about casting.

You have a sort of, like, bubbly energy that is really wonderful.

I don't know that it exactly sits in this song.

I got goose bumps, Michael, because you had a crack in your voice.

For my money, Michael's version was better for the song.

# And it seems to me you lived your life... #

'I don't take it personally,

'because I know it's for the benefit of the group.'

I know Michael will do an amazing job of it

and they are perfectly valid reasons why he's doing it now

instead of me, so I'm fine with it.

When not at university, 23-year-old postgrad student Michael

regularly heads back to Bedfordshire to visit his dad Ian.

How are you, buddy?

I'm doing good. How's everything with you?

Yeah, good.

He had a difficult childhood when he was really, really young.

He struggled with his autism

but I always used to say to him, "There's nothing you can't do."

When Michael was young, it was like living with Pavarotti.

Even when you went to bed, you were still singing.

I'd say to you, "Michael, shut up!"

'Singing has been fantastic.

'I think he is gifted with a natural voice

'that's really, really powerful.'

Proud, really proud. Love him.

They are now putting all their emotional eggs in your basket.

That's a lot of eggs.

It is a lot of eggs. Um...

Yeah, I mean, I'm a little bit nervous about taking

such a large responsibility on my shoulders, but I mean,

hopefully, the more I go through the music,

the more I'll, sort of, cement a self-interpretation of it.

Do you think, because you've got Asperger's,

that you have to do that more?

Because you're looking for signs and clues all over the place?

That's exactly it. I feel like I have to.

I watched, like, a lot of performances as well,

especially, like, Elton John performing

at Diana's funeral and stuff.

That was emotional. Watching it.

And you have no problem in understanding that that's emotional?

Yeah, well, not any more.

I mean, that was a bit of a more difficult issue,

I'd say, a few decades ago.

-But you got there.

-Yeah.

-It's really fascinating.

I mean, you're so clearly there, because when you sing it,

I feel something.

That's performance, that's making a connection to the song,

so you are totally able to do it.

Thank you very much.

-Mums In Durham!

-ALL:

-Hi!

As lessons draw to a close,

Mark De-Lisser is checking in with Mums In Durham.

What does the song mean to you?

I like the song, because it takes me back to a time

when I was more confident,

before I did get a little bit broken-down and...

SHE SIGHS

That's all right. That's all right. That's all right.

It's all right, all right. Go on.

-TEARFULLY:

-It just takes me back to a time when...

-When I felt like I could take the world on.

-Sure.

And sometimes, even though I've got kids, now,

I feel like I look after them and put them first.

And I love doing that, I wouldn't have it any other way.

But it does take me back to a time

when...when I felt stronger in myself and I felt stronger for me.

So, yeah, it is a good song.

-It's a good song. It's empowering, right?

-Yeah.

It's that thing of, "Who do you think you are?

"Who are you? Who are you to tell me?

"Who are you to do that to me?"

When we're singing songs with energy like this,

we've really got to put the body in it.

It can't be from here.

-QUIETLY:

-# The race is on to get out... #

It can't be. It's all here.

-LOUDLY:

-# The race is on to get out of the bottom... #

-Yeah?

-Yeah. Nasty face!

Give me nasty face. Come on, try it.

One, sing it, three, and...

# The race is on to get out of the bottom... #

All right. Great stuff. Now, push through that.

# Who...do you think you are? #

Try that for me. One, two, three...go on, "Who..."

# Who do you think you are? #

All right. Good stuff.

You guys are good, because the thing that I noticed

when you guys sang first is it comes from here.

So don't think that a soft, mellow song comes from here alone.

No, no - this song must come from here as well.

Every single time somebody else says to us that they like us,

it makes a really big difference to us.

I don't think people quite, maybe,

understand just how much of an effect that has on us as a group,

because we're going out, now, feeling like we're on cloud nine.

Day one of lessons is over...

# Change your heart... #

..although that doesn't mean the hard work stops.

# It seems to me... #

Brethren, brethren, come on. One, two...

But Mums In Durham are taking five minutes out.

-'Hi, Mummy.'

-Hello, bubby. Are you all right?

-'Yeah.'

-Yeah? Are you being a good boy?

-'Yeah.'

-Aw...Mummy misses you so much.

-'I miss you too, Mama.'

-I know.

-'Hi, Mummy!'

-Hi, gorgeous!

'Hello, bye-bye, hello.'

-LAUGHING:

-You funny onion.

Are you wanting to go and play your game, darling?

-'Yeah.'

-Yeah?

-TEARFULLY:

-It's the first time I've been away from her, really.

So it's tough, but...

It's the first time I've done anything for me

in a long time, really, I mean...

So, you know, it's important, it is, to be here.

Less than 48 hours to go until performances,

and all the choirs are burning the midnight oil.

At this stage in the contest, they should know their songs,

they should have done most of their choreography

and they should be ready to perform them to me tomorrow morning.

There are couple of places in the song

that I'm not confident about,

so I think it might be a long night again tonight.

When I go in and see the groups in the morning,

if they don't have complete songs, I'm going to want to know why.

Just 24 hours until the semifinal performances.

HE HUMS

The groups will be singing

in front of not only a live audience,

but the all-important jury.

These five jurors represent an impressive range of disciplines

and include an award-winning gospel choir conductor,

and a member of one of Britain's leading modern a cappella groups.

Music has to mean something.

You have to be passionate about it.

If we can't see the passion on stage,

it's not going to be enough.

A renowned pop vocal coach,

a West End choreographer,

and a classical conductor complete the line-up.

As a choral conductor, I'm going to be measuring the groups

against professional standards.

If I hear a performance that's even slightly out of tune,

I'll be on them like a pack of wolves.

Tuning, tempo and stage presence are just some of the things

the jury will scrutinise

before casting the vote that decides each group's fate.

I want to hear creativity, I want to be impressed,

I want to be wowed when I hear these groups.

Swing it, shake it, move it, make it, who do you think you are?

Before the final day of classes begins,

Gareth's checking in on Mums in Durham.

Ah! Hello.

# Do you think you are?

# Do you think you are? #

-How are you?

-Then we've to walk forwards.

What time did you go to bed? Were you rehearsing late?

Yes. It was past midnight.

Past midnight. Oh, OK.

Let me see it.

# Who do you think you are?

# Do you think you are?

# Who...?

# Some kind of superstar. #

Dynamically, it's kind of like this -

all on the same level.

And I feel like that's going to bore the audience,

if you just keep it on one level.

# Who do you think you are? #

Yeah. # ..are. #

That's what I'm talking about. It sounds messy.

# Who... #

Can we get that to blend?

# Who... #

Yeah - can you hear how it's going...like that?

I have to question whether you're going to get that by tomorrow.

Right.

I want you to go through. I want you to do well.

Now, look, you all look utterly,

utterly shellshocked and despondent.

-Yeah, no.

-This is bloody rehearsing. This is what we're here to do.

This is getting better. It's not personal.

I'm not here to upset people. I am here to make people better.

They're the least experienced group in the contest,

but they have got great voices in there,

and when they're right, they're fantastic.

HE SIGHS

I just don't know if they're up to it.

SHE SNIFFS

Just...we're working so hard.

It's always going to be even harder to take

-when we're...when we're not ten minutes away from home.

-Yeah.

Three, four...

# Ooh...

# Goodbye, Norma Jeane... #

Semi-Toned's first class of the day is being taken by choral conductor

and founding president of the London Youth Choir Suzi Digby.

At the moment, you are so compelling,

that there is a tendency for the rest of you

to come across as a bit static, OK, and uncommitted, emotionally.

Who feels they're quite close

to being able to do what Michael just did?

Lose yourself in the singing?

Eddie?

Three, four...

-# Oh...

-Was just a kid

# Your candle burned out long before

# Your legend ever did

-# Da-da-da... #

-OK. Did you go there, yet?

-I don't know. I find it really difficult to do that.

-Yes.

I find it really difficult.

I feel like, maybe, I was on the cusp,

but I don't really know what the cusp is.

-Then we need to push you further.

-OK.

-# Oh...

-Your candle burned out long before

# Your legend ever did

# Da-da-da-da-da-da-da

-# Oh... #

-And stop.

Did you make it?

I don't know. I don't think I expressed it.

It is that tipping point. I think you can push yourself over.

Maybe, sometimes, you need to tip over.

If anything can do it, it's a musical experience.

Particularly a vocal musical experience.

We've got to keep this momentum building.

I think this process that we've started,

you need to continue.

Despite us being really good friends,

I think we still find it difficult to talk about our feelings

and anything that's seen as remotely emotional,

we just don't do it.

# Zing-boom, zing-boom... #

Yeah? Because it's praise, yeah?

You're not moving enough. Come on.

Gareth tasked EAGA's musical director Jordan

to step up as leader and work the choir hard.

Look at that.

I'm seeing Captain Jordan taking control, pulling rank.

That's more like it.

# Zing-boom... #

He might have fine-tuned the vocals, but to devise choreography,

Jordan is relying on movement expert Polly Bennett.

-# Ahh. #

-We'll do that again.

Hey! Look at you.

I'm starting to see something.

-# Ah...

-Yay...

# So, so quiet. #

ALL: Shh.

Wow! Look what you've done!

You've turned what you thought was a trap into your...

LAUGHTER

You know, it's not a trap, it was a gift all along.

Jordan, you looked like you were on fire.

-Have you been drilling them?

-Yeah.

It's paying off. I'm really, really, really happy.

And it's critical that it happens tomorrow

in front of the jury - critical.

Yes!

CLAPPING

Jordan is stepping up hugely.

I'm actually seeing him get some fire in his belly.

As a leader, when the chips are down, that's when you pick them up,

and he's better than he thinks he is, I think.

He's really, really good.

It's the final few hours of bootcamp

and all the choirs are making the most of what little time is left.

Straight in. Don't be lazy with it. Here we go. One, two, three...

# Who... #

Helping Bulmershe and their soloist Jacqueline

turn in the mature performance Gareth has demanded

is choreographer Liam Lunniss,

who has worked with stars like Katy Perry and One Direction.

What's in your head whilst you're doing this?

-Someone's telling...

-OK. Look at me.

-I know.

-Thank you.

Um...like, a problem. I don't know.

-I'm not trying to attack you, you know this.

-Yeah.

I'm trying to help.

So, just believe in whatever you feel,

but your body language is completely stiff,

so we're going to just shake it out

and you're going to make me believe the beautiful star that you are.

And the whole time, I want you to look in my eyes.

-OK.

-OK?

LAUGHTER

-Shh!

-Is that all right?

SHE LAUGHS

Yeah.

Because, otherwise, who are you singing to?

# Change your heart

# Look around you... #

That was good. How much better was that?

Yeah.

That was intense, though, right?

-LAUGHING:

-Yeah, it was scary!

LAUGHTER

I'm really impressed that you just did not crack.

That's exactly the intent that you need when you're performing.

Now, I need that energy from everyone.

'I don't really like meeting people's eyes when I perform,

'because then, kind of, it's more personal,

'I'm not very good at that.'

I think he thinks that I have it in me to do it,

so I just have to work on it.

Hey! Mums in Durham!

As day two draws to a close,

Mums In Durham are paying a final visit to mentor Mark.

How are you?

-ALL:

-Eh...

What? What's that for?

Yeah, we're tired, a little bit flat, a little bit deflated.

-Why?

-I think, with tiredness and nerves and...

It's just, we felt really flat.

We came out from here the other day, we're like... "Whoo!"

Loved it. And that's how we're going to come out of here later on.

-Yeah, we are.

-Yes, you are.

-But I know we've come in a bit flat.

-TEARFULLY:

-I'm such an idiot.

-No, you're not! No, you're not.

I always cry in front of him, though!

This is really good.

Yeah? This is really good. Because the tears show you care.

-So, let's do some work. OK?

-ALL: Yes.

-Let's sing it out.

# Swing it, shake it

# Dunno the words myself

# Who do you think you are?... #

LAUGHTER

# Show how good you are. #

All right? Just stay all on that note.

-HE PLAYS NOTE

-Yeah? Try it, by yourselves.

Two, three, and...

# Swing it, shake it, move it, make it

# Who do you think you are?

# Trust it, use it, prove it, groove it

# Show me how good you are. #

# Easy. #

-LAUGHTER

-She's got it!

One more, one more. You go. Two, three, shake it.

# Trust it, use it, prove it, groove it

# Show me how good you are

# Swing it, shake it, move it, make it

# Who do you think you are?

# Trust it, use it, prove it, groove it

# Show how good you are. #

Yes! That'll do me! Oh, that's better.

-How are you feeling?

-Better.

-A lot better.

-But...

-Just needed an energy boost.

An energy boost, but also, you need to tackle the problems head-on.

I can hear it, you're listening so much better. You are good.

Am I forgiven?

-Yes.

-No.

LAUGHTER

Still got a little bit of work to do.

I've got work to do.

You've got work to do, we've got work to do.

Yes! So much better, and so utterly, utterly worth putting them through

the pain of this morning.

I just hope it's ready in time.

Bye!

Tomorrow, the groups will be going head-to-head.

It's been a very, very intense day for everyone, I think.

And tomorrow is going to be even bigger.

I'm most worried about Mums In Durham and Bulmershe.

I think Bulmershe have wobbled a lot.

They were still rehearsing 10-15 minutes ago.

Mums In Durham have gone on such a rollercoaster,

I don't know where they're going to be on the ups and downs

when they actually hit the stage.

There are no more lessons, there's no more bootcamp,

there's no more chance for them to get better.

They have to throw everything at the stage now.

It's performance day.

In just a matter of hours,

one of the choirs will be leaving the contest for good.

Putting everything together is like a jigsaw puzzle.

Bam - just the last missing piece, which is that performance.

If we nail that - bam, we've done it for the semifinals.

I'm so desperate for them all to do well - I chose them,

I've been all around the country finding them,

but I'm proud of what they've done,

we've worked incredibly hard to get to this stage.

That moment when the crowd hushes and then the singing starts.

In that moment, you see what they're made of.

An invited audience of 300 are arriving, and in amongst them,

friends and family here to offer the choirs their support.

Aww, I've missed you so much!

Mumma!

Here for Helen are her mum, dad and three-year-old daughter Eve.

-Oh, gorgeous girlie.

-I love ya.

HELEN LAUGHS

-Have fun, enjoy every second of it.

-Yeah.

-Will do.

-DAD CHUCKLES

-Thanks, Dad.

Kind of reminds me of why I'm doing it actually.

I want her to feel like this about something.

So strongly.

-TEARFUL:

-And I want her to do it when I didn't,

because I felt like something else was the right thing to do.

Whatever it takes, I just want her to feel like that about something.

As the last few people take their seats, the jury arrive.

Above all else, they want to be entertained, but they will be paying

forensic attention to choreography, blend, tuning and timing.

Rhythm and keeping in time with the music

as a choir is really, really important.

If you can't stay in time with the music whilst you're dancing,

how can you stay in time with the music whilst you're singing?

The one thing that I will not let go

is if you don't tell the story.

If they stand there and give me all the technique

but I don't get it, you've lost me.

Five jurors...

-Are we ready?

-ALL:

-Yes!

..four groups...

This is what we've worked for, do not crumble.

-ALL CHANT:

-We own that stage, we own that stage...

..just three grand final places up for grabs.

I don't know about you, but I don't want to go home today.

Everything now hinges on what happens on this stage.

-Hello!

-CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

Welcome, everyone!

Without further pause, it is time to introduce the first of our groups.

The Emmanu'el Apostolic Gospel Academy!

# Ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh

# Shh

# It's, oh, so quiet

# Doo, doo, doo

# It's, oh, so still

# So-o-o still

# You're all alone

# And so peaceful until...

# Na-na-na-na!

# You fall in love - zing, boom!

# Sky up above - zing, boom!

# Is caving in

# Wa-wa-wa-wa

# You've never been so nuts about a guy

# You wanna laugh, wanna cry

# You cross your heart and hope to die

# Till it's o-o-o-ver and then!

# Shh

# It's nice and quiet

# Shh

# But soon again

# Starts another big riot!

# Na-na-na-na!

# Too-lah

# Too-lah

# Too-lah

# And starts a big riot!

-# Zing, bam!

-You blow a fuse!

-# Zing, boom!

-The devil cuts loose!

-# There's no need

-Wow, bam!

# To fall in love, love, love, love, yeah

# No-o-o-o, whoo-ooh

# It's, oh, so quiet

# Shh. #

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

Yes! They should be SO pleased with that.

The quiet bits were so well controlled, excellent energy,

and then, rrargh, they went for it!

HE CACKLES

-It was good, it was good.

-The vibes in there are awesome.

Next to perform, The Bulmershe Ensemble.

# Change your heart

# Look around you

# Change your heart

# It will astound you

# I need your loving

# Like the sunshine

# Everybody's got to learn sometime

# Ahh-ahh-ah-ah

# Everybody's got to learn sometime

# Ahh-ahh-ah-ah

# Ahhh... #

(That's not good.)

# Change your heart

# Change your heart

# Look around you

# Look around you

# I need your loving

# Like the sunshine

# Like the sunshine

# Sometime, sometime

# Sometime, someti-i-me

# Sometime, sometime, sometime, someti-i-me

# Like the sunshine

# Sometime, sometime, sometime, someti-i-me

# Some! Time!

# Everybody's got to learn sometime. #

CHEERING

Oh! I was on tenterhooks through the whole thing, very nerve-racking!

There were some good things,

there were some bits that just didn't quite come together.

I hope that they've done enough.

I was like, "Oh, I'm gonna cry!"

-Well done, guys, really good.

-Ohh, my God!

Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Mums In Durham!

# The race is on to get out of the bottom

# The top is high so your roots are forgotten

# Giving is good as long as you're getting

# What's driving you... #

(You've got to be confident.)

# Who-o-o

# Do you think you are?

# Think you are!

# Who-o-o

# Some kind of superstar

# You have got to

# Swing it, shake it, move it, make it

# Who do you think you are?

# Trust it, use it, prove it, groove it

# Show how me how good you are

# Swing it, shake it, move it, make it

# Who do you think you are?

# Trust it, use it, prove it, groove it

# Show how good you are!

SINGER IN BLACK HOLDS LONG NOTE

Yes!

# You're swelling out in the wrong direction

# You've got the bug, superstar, you've been bitten

# Your trumpet's blowing for far too long

# Climbing the snake up the ladder

# But you're wrong!

# Who-o-o

# Do you think you are?

# You have got to

# Swing it, shake it, move it, make it

-# Who do you think you are?

-Oh!

# Trust it, use it, prove it, groove it

-# Show how me how good you are

-Woo!

# Swing it, shake it, move it, make it

# Who do you think you are?

# Trust it, use it, prove it, groove it

# Show how good you are! #

CHEERING

Most nerve-racking two-and-a-half minutes of my entire life!

But I think they got away with it.

Yes!

Excellent! I want to go back on!

I could see Mum and Dad and Eve and that just made it for me,

absolutely made it.

Last to take the stage, Semi-Toned.

# Ooohhh

# Goodbye, Norma Jeane

# Though I never knew you at all

# You had the grace to hold yourself

# While those around you crawled

# They crawled out of the woodwork... #

(Knife-edge.)

# And they whispered into your brain, they set you on the treadmill

# They made you change your name

# And it seems to me you lived your life like a candle in the wind

# Never knowing who to cling to when the rain set in

# And I would have liked to have known you, but I was just a kid

# Your candle burned out long before your legend ever did

# La-da, la-da, la-da-doh

# Loneliness was tough... #

BACKING SINGER BEATBOXES

-HE MOUTHS:

-Oh, yeah, that's good.

# Hollywood created a superstar, and pain was the price you paid

# And even when you died

# Ohh, the press still hounded you

# All the papers had to say

# Was that Marilyn was found in the nude

# Whoa-oh-oh

# And it seems to me you lived your life

# Like a candle in the wind

# Never knowing who to cling to when the rain set in

# And I would have liked to have known you, but I was just a kid

# Your candle burned out long before your legend ever did

# La-da, la-da, la-da-doh

# Your candle burned out long before your legend ever did. #

-AUDIENCE:

-Woo!

I had chills.

-Well done, guys.

-Michael, well done, buddy.

Oh, my word.

OTHERS LAUGH

Performances over, the fate of the choirs now rests with the jury.

All I can say, Semi-Toned? Wooo!

I loved everything they did, and I'll tell you why.

They ticked the box - vocal technique,

vocal performance and the visual performance.

The solo singer had thrown caution to the winds tonight.

I kind of wanted the other boys to be as connected

with the lyric as he was.

EAGA. I think that the most impressive thing

was the first chord in harmony.

-Yeah.

-I wanted to say stand up out of my chair and say, "YES!"

The audience was a nice place to be when they were on the stage.

I think very differently to a lot of you.

They were completely out of tune, for me.

I really don't agree with you at all.

-And, and, the sound...

-No, no...

No - they were not out of tune.

-Solos, they were out of tune.

-..was weak, not of tune, that's your word.

I felt that Mums In Durham started really well.

It felt like these women, they mean business.

That's what it felt like to me.

Unfortunately, I didn't feel that was sustained when

they started to sing.

I'd love to see them in their comfort zone.

I would love to see them again as well.

I want to see what Gareth saw in them that brought them

to this moment.

They're in the semifinal for a reason.

The Bulmershe Ensemble, that sound at the beginning was so inventive.

-It's really daring.

-I loved it.

-Because I wouldn't dare do that, no way.

-At the age of 16.

I'm baffled, because I wrote the words "horrible sound".

At that age, delivering a sound in front of an audience,

-for me, that's wonderful.

-Why do we keep talking about their age?

It's a level playing field,

we can't keep bringing their age in.

It's decision time. Let's cast our votes.

The results are here and I am ready to reveal who will be

going through to the grand final.

For the benefit of the groups,

I want to point out that these results are in no particular order.

I'm going to start by revealing the first group to make it through.

It's a huge well done to...

..Semi-Toned.

CHEERING

-Ah-ha!

-Yes!

THEY LAUGH

The next group staying in the contest is...

..EAGA.

-EAGA MEMBERS:

-Woo!

THEY LAUGH AND WHOOP

We did it. We did it. Now come the finals.

Two groups left now on stage, but only one place in the grand final.

Mums In Durham,

the jury thought that you had a strong and confident opening

and that there were some impressive moments from your soloists.

Bulmershe Ensemble.

The jury said that they enjoyed your sense of drama

and storytelling but you need to ensure that you have

a unified sense of the emotion that you want to convey.

But the group that they felt should take

the third and final place in the contest is...

..The Bulmershe Ensemble.

THEY SCREAM

CHEERING

Mums In Durham, what a rollercoaster we've had.

Sadly, not your day today, but you dared to do this,

and I'm really proud of you.

Ladies and gentlemen, Mums In Durham.

-AUDIENCE:

-Woo!

I'm sorry! Awww.

It's always hard to hear that someone else thinks

this isn't your finest hour, but actually, I think this IS probably

one of our finest hours, it's been one of the best days we've ever had.

If it had been from where we've come from to where we are,

I think it would have been different.

But obviously...

..they don't get to see that.

And it's hard to just be judged on those three minutes,

because actually, our stories are a lot longer than that.

-Hello, are you OK?

-We didn't let you down?

-No, of course... Aww.

Ohh, you haven't let me down - or yourselves.

You haven't. I'm really proud of you.

For that to be your second ever performance as a group...

-ALL: Yeah.

-..is ridiculous.

There were bits of real confidence.

There's so many more experiences you're going to have

as a group, I hope, cos I'm sure you're going to carry on singing.

We've still got that fight in us and we're still going to do it.

-Good luck.

-Thank you.

'As much as I'm sorry to see Mums In Durham go,

'they didn't deliver what I thought they might be able to'

and there's no shame in that, they are the least experienced group

in the contest and it didn't quite come off today.

I think all of the groups that are through to the final have earned

their place there by working really hard and tackling their weaknesses.

Bulmershe, EAGA and Semi-Toned, I think that's

a great fight and very, very well-matched.

I think it's a great final.

Next time, it's the grand final.

Good evening, London!

The three groups left standing perform one last time.

And the jury decide on a winner.

It was brilliant, I had goose bumps all over.

Whoa-whoa-whoa-whoa.

My toes were curling, sorry.

There are two of them.

I'm like, "Which way, which way should I go?"

This year's winner is...