Alex Beresford is crowned the winner of All Star Musicals 

Alex Beresford is crowned the winner of All Star Musicals 

Tonight, Alex Beresford is crowned the winner of ITV's All Star Musicals 2022. Competing alongside actress Jacqueline Jossa, wildlife presenter Michaela Strachan, Coronation Street's Lisa George, James Bond actor Colin Salmon and rugby star Danny Care, all six celebrities took to the stage for a night of show-stopping entertainment.

Alex's post-win interview:

How did it feel to win this series of All Star Musicals?

It felt absolutely amazing. It was surreal. We were all standing there on stage and waiting for them to call a name and when I heard Al.. I was like 'oh my God, it’s me' and it was just the best feeling in the world. I’ve never won anything like that before. 

After my performance when I was listening to the judge's comments, they were saying such lovely things and it just really touched me and my eyes welled up. I was holding my tears back- I didn't want to blub on national television! 

How would you summarise your experience being on the show as a whole?

The whole experience was amazing. Although, I thought we were going to rehearse more. The best thing that I did was I just rehearsed at home all the time. I think that’s the difference. When I did Dancing On Ice you can only rehearse on the ice really, whereas this was something that I can do in my own time. I would run through my performance all the time, I even did it in the shower! 

To hear the band play your music on the day was one of the best feelings because I was rehearsing with a little quiet piano version. I heard the full ensemble and the band play and I stood on the stage for the first time during rehearsal and it literally hit me in the chest, how great my instrumental was.

It was everything that I imagined and more and it just all came together and it was such a great feeling. I think it meant so much because you wanted to just do a great job. Because as you know there is only one shot. All of us were saying ‘so if you mess up’ and they were like ‘nope, if you mess up you carry on’. And of course that frightened the life out of all of us. I’m there thinking to myself if I stumble over my rap, you are just exposed. At the end of the day the songs have got important messages and you can’t rap in a way that people can’t understand or hear what you are saying. You know the audience at home or the audience in the theatre needed to understand what you were saying so there were some challenges and I think that is why I was so scared of taking on the song.

How was it having Trevor as your mentor?

It was an absolute blessing to have Trevor as my mentor but also there was an extra layer of pressure to do the song justice because he obviously is a judge but has a massive invested interest in the song that I am doing because he is on stage every night in the West End. He knew all the words to the song as well because when we were in rehearsals, he was doing it and showing me a few bits and pieces. He really knew the song inside out and that obviously provided an extra layer of pressure. His advice was invaluable. 

The breathing had to be perfect. I am someone that loves keeping fit but song fit is completely different to gym fit so learning how to use your lungs was really important. At first I was thinking 'oh my gosh, I’m not getting all the way through the song without having to stop' because I was running out of breath. I couldn’t finish all of the words. But again through practice and the breathing techniques that you get through the coaching, you do get to grips with it.

Are there any plans to pursue a career on stage?

I did English Studies and Performing Arts before in University so there is a genuine passion and interest and it is something that I have always thought about doing but sometimes your life goes in a different direction. My life went in the direction that it did and I am so grateful and thankful for everything that I have been able to do thus far. I would love to jump on the stage again 150%! If someone said ‘hey we think you would make a great whatever on stage' I’d be open to entertaining the possibility. That’s the one thing you know television and theatre have got in common- they are both live and the adrenaline that you get being on live television and being on stage in front of a live audience is amazing so I would look at options for sure. Like I say, All Stars gave me an appetite to do more...

What would be your dream role in the West End?  

I mean dare I say it, it would have to be Hamilton. No one has been in touch yet. I don’t know if it is a 'don’t call us, we will call you' situation. But my phone is on loud, that is all I have to say! I think it is Karl that plays Hamilton. Karl Queensborough. If he needs a night off or he gets tired and wants me to come and perform one song so that he can just catch a breath or catch a break, I am happy to step in on stage and perform 'My Shot.'

Would you recommend the show to any of your GMB colleagues and what would you want to hear them sing?

I think Kate [Garraway] has done something similar, I think she might be good.

Susanna sings in the corridors. She was the one that worked out that I was doing something on Hamilton because we were in the studios and I was  rehearsing my song but very quietly, she heard one line and she went ‘you are singing Hamilton, why are singing Hamilton!’ At the time I didn’t know how popular Hamilton was and I was like “oh do you know that song?” and she was like “Hamitlon is my favourite musical, I’ve been several times”. 

I swear Ben [Shephard] did Musical Theatre and he’s got a dancing degree or similar but he’s never done a Strictly or anything like that. It’s probably about time he stepped up! (laughs)

They are all great performers. If one of them wanted to do it, I am sure they could. 

You are going back to GMB this month. Do you have any other reality shows you want to tick off your list? What is next for you? 

Out of all the shows I would love to do, I would love to do the jungle [I'm A Celebrity]. But the only thing is I don’t know how good I would be with snakes and spiders but I think it is the show that all of us that work in telly want to do, it is that show isn't it? I hate the cold so I would have absolutely hated to have gone to the castle and I think it got flooded in the last series because of all the heavy rain, that would just be my worst nightmare! I am a fan of the heat so going to Australia would be awesome. I would get stuck in but I think lying down with snakes all around you, ugh! 

Any plans to take this to the day job? Are we going to see you rapping the weather next?

Hey, if it is called for, I will deliver. I do like doing the weather. When I am rehearsing sometimes I mess about with accents and voices so look, rapping the weather could be a thing that we do! 

Who would you want to play you in a musical of your life?

Wow! Thierry Henry or something? Or the only person I can think of is this guy that used to be in Eastenders, his character was Lucas [played by Don Gilet] and he was the priest in Eastenders back in the day and people used to mistake me for him and one day we got to meet actually and we were laughing our heads off! We used to get mistaken for each other. He is an actor, maybe he could do it! I don’t know if he can sing though. But I am thinking if you want to go big or go home, maybe Denzel Washington.
 

All Star Musicals is available to watch now on ITV and ITV Hub