New Popstars auditions hit capital

A consoling hug from hostess Davina McCall failed to cheer disappointed contestants at the first open Popstars audition in London today.

Instead of taking their first steps towards a glittering singing career many of the young hopefuls had to face the harsh reality of the pop music world.

And the angry rejects greeted McCall as she arrived at the auditions at Wembley Conference Centre.

The would-be stars had failed even to make it through a screening audition in front of show producers and record company executives. They never even saw the series judges, Pete Waterman, Geri Halliwell and Louis Walsh.

Hundreds of wannabes had queued for hours in the hope of appearing on Popstars: The Rivals. McCall told the disappointed group: "Unfortunately it is the business we are in. I can give you a big hug if that makes you feel better."

One of those disappointed was Catherine Hayes, 20, from Tunbridge Wells who had been waiting to audition since midnight. She said: "We just got to sing about 30 seconds."

But she vowed to get to the next open audition, in Manchester-on Friday next week, saying-"I'm very determined." Rachel Alexander, 20, a student from Manchester, also failed. "They have put some really dodgy people through. They're just looking for a certain sound and appearance. Anyone who didn't look right just didn't get enough time to show what they could do," she said.

Carley Callaghan, 18,from Newport, south Wales said: "There were some great singers in our group and no one got through. They only gave us 10 seconds to sing. It's not a very good way to judge people."

Even a girl who did get through the initial stage was not impressed with the process. Sherelle Grant, 18, a student from Chelmsford, said: "They just want happy songs with no edge. They want the same kind of stuff that Hear'say sing and I think that is just naff. I like to sing big ballads, proper songs."

Among the thousands of young hopefuls queuing up was Katrina Flavell, 22, a dancer from Ealing. She said: "It's got to the point now that so many people who didn't win have been signed up that you

just have to have a go. There were people camping out with sleeping bags. I even saw a girl in the toilets who had been here since midnight last night. She was curling her hair and doing her make-up."

A spokesman for Popstars said: "These open auditions were held as a result of many hundreds of calls we received after launching the show.

"We decided to open some open auditions to give people a second chance to enter." Popstars: The Rivals follows the first series, which created Hear'Say and Liberty X. This time, the ITV show will produce a girl band and a boy band, who it is hoped will battle it out for the No 1 spot.

The judges will pick a final shortlist of 10 boys and 10 girls who will live in two Big Brother-style houses under the watchful eye of the TV cameras. Viewers of the ITV show will then take part in a phone vote to evict one boy and one girl each week.