I'd Do Anything to be Madonna: The Nancies as you've never seen them before

By Laura Roberts
Last updated at 7:30 AM on 27th May 2008

They can only dream of achieving her longevity and talent for reinvention - or perhaps they wanted to prove they too share the Queen of Pop's iron will to succeed.

But the three remaining contestants in BBC talent show I'd Do Anything briefly stepped into Madonna's shoes to recreate some of her most iconic images.

Enlarge

I'd Do Anything finalist Samantha Barks as Madonna in Hard Candy single for Now Magazine

Samantha Barks: Recreate Madonna's most recent look for her Hard Candy album

Enlarge

Potential Nancy: Samantha Barks, 17, from the Isle of Man

The oldest contestant Jodie Prenger, 28, from Blackpool was swaddled in a tulle wedding dress to impersonate the infamous cover of Like a Virgin.

Glaring moodily into the camera she perfected Madonna's arched stare for the 1984 album which was the singer's second hit and reached Number 1 in the UK and America and sold more than 10 million copies.

Miss Prenger, a former cruise whip singer, lost eight and a half stone in six months to win reality diet show Britain's Biggest Loser in 2006.

Meanwhile, Jessie Buckley, 18, from County Kerry in the Republic of Ireland, copied Madonna's controversial pose from the 1989 album Like a Prayer - a record that was released before she was even born.

Enlarge

I'd Do Anything Finalist Jodie Prenger as Madonna in Like a Virgin single for Now Magazine

Jodie Prenger: Revisited Madonna's 1980s Like A Virgin look

Enlarge

Jodie Prenger: 28 from Blackpool

The original video caused outcry from Christian groups across America who said her performance was blasphemous.

Madonna was pictured standing next to burning crosses in a scanty outfit as well as kissing a black Christ-like figure in a church.

The Isle of Man's Samantha Barks, 17, had the most up to date look - imitating the singer's pose on current album cover Hard Candy.

In hotpants, a cinched in belt and fingerless leather gloves the aspiring West End singer was hard to imagine as a Victorian street urchin.

There have been reports that politicised voting from different regions of the country have skewed the votes.

Enlarge

I'd Do Anything finalist Jessie Buckley as Madonna in Like A Prayer

Jessie Buckley: Channelling Madonna's Like A Prayer guise

Enlarge

Is she a Nancy?: Jessie Buckley, 18, is from County Kerry, Ireland

On Saturday night Rachel Tucker from Belfast became the ninth girl to be voted off the show despite getting a standing ovation from the audience for singing Cabaret.

Head judge Andrew Lloyd Webber chose to keep Miss Barks in the competition when the pair placed in the final two.

The previous week before that, favourite 17-year-old Niamh Perry, from Bangor in Northern Ireland, was summarily dismissed for being too young for the role.

She has sat three A levels since returning home.

Now magazine features The Nancys in its current issue

The BBC show which allows the audience to choose a new Nancy for Cameron Mackintosh's West End production of Oliver! has attracted more than 6.6million viewers week to week.

Thousands of girls were auditioned before being whittled down to the final 12 who appeared on the programme.

They receive criticism from a panel of judges each week led by musical impresario Lord Lloyd Webber.

Twelve potential Olivers aged ten to 13 are also part of the televised competition although the audience is not able to participate in their selection.

The winners will be announced after a live final on Saturday night.

Full interviews with the girls are available in Now magazine on sale today

Print this article

Read later

Email to a friend

Share this article:

Add your comments View all

Comments (5)

Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below?

Come on - Jessie and Kerry are the Best! Will be voting for you big time on Saturday! Jessie is by far the best girl for Nancy, and naturally beautiful, as well.

- Sue, Bracknell, 27/5/2008 14:23

All good, but I feel Jessie is most suited for the part of Nancy.

- Reader, Bristol, 27/5/2008 13:50

Sam is really pretty but she looks a bit tarty here (then again, it isn't her fault if the dress department selected her outfit). But Jodie and Jessie look lovely! I don't see what Madonna has to do with the show, though.

- Rachel, Glasgow, 27/5/2008 12:48

**yourComments**

- **name**, **townAndCountry**, **creationDate**

View all