BBC bosses are launching a new music talent show with Martin Kemp and Lady Leshurr.
Martin Kemp
The Spandau Ballet star and rapper will join forces for 'Rock of Ages', which will see amateur musicians from the 60s and 70s come together to make two new bands.
Martin and Leshurr will mentor the two groups and guide them on their sound and image before the bands make their stage debut at the Isle of Wight Festival in September.
A source told The Sun newspaper's Bizarre TV column: “Rock Of Ages is a fun, feel-good show a bit like 'The X Factor' but without the drama. Filming starts this month and at the moment it’s pencilled in to air in September.
“Martin and Lady Leshurr will be helping to choose who works best for each band, and will be dishing out advice and experience from their time in the industry. It’s a really exciting new series and it’s the perfect fit for BBC2.”
It comes as BBC bosses have been trying to fill in the gap after 'The X Factor' was shelved in 2020 and is not expected to air on ITV until 2022.
An insider said: "ITV has decided that next year just isn’t going to be feasible for 'X Factor'. It’s been off air since 2019 now and it’ll be 2022 at the earliest, realistically, before it’s back."
However, Dermot O'Leary - who first hosted the ITV singing competition in 2007 - has hinted the show might not return until 2023.
He said: "I can't see it coming back this year. If it does come back, it'll be 2022 - maybe 2023.
"You do miss it, definitely. You work with people for the best part of 10 years and you become a really tight team.
"And you do miss the buzz of a Saturday night show. There's something great about it.
"But I've just got to do my own stuff and then, if and when it comes back, then great."
Tagged in Martin Kemp