Where does that Simon Cowell get his genius ideas from? Listen to his latest stroke of innovative thinking - he's going to produce a reality TV show where wannabe musical stars audition for the lead roles in a revival of Grease. I wish I could come up with such original ideas.
Actually, this latest Cowell project is especially cheeky because not only is it pretty much a direct rip off of the BBC's 'How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria', but the Beeb themselves are already co-producing a version of the show in the US based around the stage show version of Grease. But Cowell has managed to secure the reality TV rights to the musical for the UK market, meaning he will be able to pitch the show against the BBC's previously reported new musical reality TV project which will stage a search for a new cast for Joseph And His Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat. Given how popular Grease remains with the teenage audience, an important demographic in any of these reality programmes, Cowell's rival may be a real ratings spoiler for the Beeb.
But Cowell denied he had "stolen" the show off the BBC. Confirming he'd secured the UK rights to Grease, he told reporters: "As with anything you want to buy, you have got to pay a lot of money. These things don't come cheap and rightly so. I think it's good the BBC haven't got it so it isn't coming out of licence fee payers' pockets. I think we have done a great service".
He continued: "In my opinion, Grease is the best musical on the planet. These two parts [leads Sandy and Danny] will be the most sought-after roles in the West End. It will work beautifully for us as a reality show. There will be a lot of twists".
Cowell will not play an active onscreen role in the new project - theatre producer David Ian, who was a judge on the Beeb's Sound Of Music talent search, will be the chief judge on the Grease show, as well as co-producing the resulting West End production.