[MrGaryy]

Exclusive: Professional variety artists will battle it out for the chance to provide entertainment for a celebrity wedding as part of a new television talent show set to be screened this year.

Called, Help! I Need a Wedding Entertainer, the six-part series will see the celebrity couple audition hundreds of variety performers at a London theatre next month to find one that will perform at their celebrations in 2009.

The winning act is expected to feature in coverage of the wedding by OK! Magazine.

Artists are being urged to attend the auditions, which will be broadcast as part of the series on satellite channel Wedding TV, which called it its answer to The X Factor and Britain’s Got Talent.

However, executive producer Simon Withington told The Stage he was looking for established acts, rather than amateur performers.

Withington, a former ITV producer, said: “We want proper acts on this show - people who have been on the circuit for a long time and who want to showcase their talent. I feel there is no place for these people on television at the moment and what I want to do is create a platform where we can have traditional good old-fashioned entertainment brought back on to TV.”

He also said the show would not seek to intimidate acts or embarrass those who take part and described the series as a “nice, traditional entertainment show”.

Withington revealed that the couple getting married are former Big Brother contestants Grace Adams-Short and Mikey Dalton. The pair will preside over the auditions on September 22-23, which will be held at a London theatre, details to be confirmed.

Withington said the show was part of a commitment the channel - established in 2006 by former Radio Luxembourg DJ Tony Prince - has to providing original programming based on the themes of relationships and romance.

Further details about how to take part can be found at www.weddingtv.com

Source, The Stage