Third Time Unlucky For I'd Do Anything's Keisha

Last night a furious Andrew Lloyd Webber was forced to eliminate 23 year old Keisha from the hunt to find the West End's new Nancy

"A complete and utter travesty" is how Andrew described the public's decision to leave Niamh and Keisha in the dreaded bottom two last night. "For the first time on a television show I'm angry" he declared. And he was angry: storming off the I'd Do Anything set while the final credits were still rolling.

Andrew had obviously seen something special in Keisha's talent because he had twice saved her from elimination in the final sing off. The unexpected arrival of Niamh in the bottom two proved too much of an opponent however, and he had to choose to save her over Keisha when it came to the proverbial crunch.

Usually very strong, the 17 year old Niamh has caused quite a stir with the judges because, with her delicate frame and natural beauty, she may be able to 're-define' Lionel Bart's worldly-wise character. Though she sometimes seems too young and pretty to play such a robust personality, the longer she stays in the competition the more it seems likely that a totally new kind of Nancy could be just around the corner.

Where as Niamh was unusually shaky, Keisha had turned out a fairly neat performance of Anastacia's I'm Outta Love on Saturday, it's just that it clearly wasn't enough to turn the impending tide. She managed to fend off the showdown last week but the public are obviously not convinced with her as Nancy because she was in the bottom two the two weeks previously. In her final duet with Niamh she sung as bravely and as intensely as we have seen her and it's a shame to see her go.

A bold and dignified signing off, Keisha was promised by Lloyd Webber that he'd do everything he could to aid her singing career before she bowed out to a flurry of tearful goodbyes and not just a few sighs of relief.

The seven Nancys still left in the competition go through to next week's show and, if it's half as good as the last one, we're surely in for another classic show down.

Published by: Nathan Brooker