CANCELLED: Zoe Birkett in West End Rocks

SHE may not have won Pop Idol but the show certainly put Zoe Birkett's feet firmly on the ladder to fame.

Now she's heading to Worthing and she's set to rock you in a show celebrating the nation's favourite rock musicals.

West End Rocks brings together the best of the West End's singers, dancers and musicians to perform songs from Dirty Dancing, High School Musical, Jesus Christ Superstar, Fame, Grease, Saturday Night Fever, Tommy, Hairspray, Footloose and many more.

There's a live band, video backdrops and eye-catching choreography from David Leighton (who worked with Blue and Girls Aloud).

Lead vocalist Zoe said the highlight for her is We Will Rock You.

"I do about 18 numbers '“ I'm singing all the time so there are some very quick changes," Zoe said.

"I do backing vocals as well so I'm even singing in the wings while trying to change."

Zoe works alongside David Archer and Benji Hayes, who she says have phenomenal voices.

"It's been fantastic so far," she said. "We've had sell-out shows and within a couple of songs everybody in the audience is loving it.

"It's great for us '“ our enjoyment comes partly from the buzz from the audience."

The tour finishes in June and the cast are off to Luxembourg to do the show, which Zoe is looking forward to.

"When I did Thriller last year we went to Scandinavia and it was great to see a different audience. The audiences were crazy out there '“ they're obsessed with Michael Jackson. At the end of the show people were trying to climb up on the stage."

Zoe, from Darlington, has been performing since a young age but hit the headlines when she took part in the first Pop Idol, with Gareth Gates and Will Young, aged just 16 and still at school.

She came fourth and became the highest placed female. "I was ready for it and not scared but I didn't expect it to be such a big show as it was.

"It was a great stepping stone. I didn't think I would get any further than I did because of who was left in the running.

"I knew Will and Gareth would get through to the final and Darius is so good looking and had so many female fans."

When the show finished, Zoe went on the Pop Idol tour round the UK and Ireland and an arena tour with just Will and Gareth.

She sang on the Pop Idol album and video and won her own record deal, with her single Treat Me Like a Lady reaching number 12 in the charts.

Zoe has sung for adverts, at the Royal Albert Hall, Buckingham Palace, for Tony Blair, at Delalio's testimonial at the Royal Albert Hall and in front of 25,000 people at VE Day in Trafalgar Square with the likes of Cliff Richard and Paul McCartney.

On TV, she presented the Top of the Pops awards, interviewing Kylie Minogue, and acted in the children's show I Dream. She also lived in Las Vegas for a while, working on a show.

"I love performing, singing and dancing," she said. "There's no better buzz than having an audience screaming and shouting at you at Wembley.

"I'd like to do more acting '“ film or TV. Corrie would be good with my northern accent. But the main thing is to carry on singing. And I want to finally get my album finished."

What next after the tour? Zoe doesn't know yet. "I normally get offered something when I'm half way through a tour. I'm just waiting for that phone call."

West End Rocks is at Worthing's Pavilion Theatre on June 26. Tickets are 15 or 17 from the box office on 01903 206206 or click here

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