Popstar to Operastar series 2

The second and final series of Popstar to Operastar began on 4 June 2011, with eight celebrities in competition to become an opera singer, after achieving success as a popstar. The judges were confirmed; with Rolando Villazón and Katherine Jenkins and two new judges Vanessa-Mae and Simon Callow, who took over the places of Meat Loaf and Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen. Myleene Klass returned as the presenter taking on sole presenting duties as Alan Titchmarsh did not return.

On 4 August 2010 Group Finance Manager, Ian Griffiths, confirmed at ITV's Interim Results Meeting that Popstar to Operastar had been recommissioned for a second series.^[1]

On 12 May 2011, Digital Spy revealed the full line-up for series 2: X Factor winner 2009 Joe McElderry, Ultravox frontman Midge Ure, Toploader's Joe Washbourn, Erasure's Andy Bell, Bucks Fizz's Cheryl Baker, The Pussycat Dolls' Melody Thornton, Steps' Claire Richards and US soul singer Jocelyn Brown.^[2]

In the same article it was confirmed that Myleene Klass would present Series 2 alone. Meat Loaf and Laurence Llewellyn-Bowen would be replaced as judges by Simon Callow and Vanessa Mae.^[2]

The second series aired on Sundays at 8pm. It began Sunday 5 June 2011, finishing its run on Sunday 10 July 2011.

Colour key:

¹ Indicates that the casting vote would lie with that judge if the panel reached a split decision.
² Indicates that the casting vote was required as the panel failed to reach a majority decision

This section needs expansion with: contestant and guest performances. You can help by adding to it. (August 2011)

Voting percentages are from ITV.com

  Most Public Votes

  Eliminated

  Bottom two

Performances

• Cheryl Baker: "Barcarole (Belle nuit, ô nuit d'amour)" from Tales of Hoffmann by Jacques Offenbach
• Joe McElderry: "Una furtiva lagrima" from Gaetano Donizetti
• Melody Thornton: "Habanera (L'amour est un oiseau rebelle)" from Carmen by Georges Bizet
• Midge Ure: "Questa o quella" from Rigoletto by Giuseppe Verdi

Did not perform (immune for week 1)

• Andy Bell
• Jocelyn Brown
• Claire Richards
• Joseph Washbourn

Bottom two

• Midge Ure - Eliminated on judges tied 2-2, with deciding vote given to Katherine Jenkins to save Melody Thornton
• Melody Thornton

Voting Results Rolando Villazón and Vanessa-Mae saved Midge Ure. Simon Callow and Katherine Jenkins saved Melody Thornton.

Guest Performers Katherine Jenkins - "Una voce poco fa" from The Barber of Seville by Gioachino Rossini

Performances

• Andy Bell: "'O sole mio" by Eduardo di Capua and Giovanni Capurro
• Jocelyn Brown: "Chanson Bohème (Les tringles des sistres tintaient)" from Carmen by Georges Bizet
• Claire Richards: "O mio babbino caro" from Gianni Schicchi by Giacomo Puccini
• Joseph Washbourn: "Toreador Song (Votre toast je peux vous le rendre)" from Carmen by Georges Bizet

Did not perform (immune for week 2)

• Cheryl Baker
• Joe McElderry
• Melody Thornton

Bottom two

• Jocelyn Brown - Eliminated on judges decision 3-1
• Joseph Washbourn

Voting Results Only Simon Callow voted to save Jocelyn Brown, with remaining three judges saving Joseph Washbourn

Guest Performers

• Rolando Villazón - "No puede ser"

Performances

• Cheryl Baker: "Je veux vivre" from Roméo et Juliette by Charles Gounod
• Andy Bell: "Non più andrai" from Marriage of Figaro by Mozart
• Joe McElderry: "La donna è mobile" from Rigoletto by Giuseppe Verdi
• Claire Richards: "Sempre libera" from La traviata by Giuseppe Verdi
• Melody Thornton: "Mon cœur s'ouvre à ta voix" from Samson et Dalila by Camille Saint-Saëns
• Joseph Washbourn: "Madamina, il catalogo è questo" from Don Giovanni by Mozart

Bottom two

• Melody Thornton - Eliminated on judges decision 3-1
• Joseph Washbourn

Voting Results Only Vanessa-Mae voted to save Melody Thornton, with remaining three judges saving Joseph Washbourn

Guest Performers

Performances

• Cheryl Baker: "Mein Herr Marquis (Adele's Laughing Song)" from Die Fledermaus by Johann Strauss II
• Andy Bell: "Largo al factotum" from The Barber of Seville by Rossini
• Joe McElderry: "Nessun dorma" from Turandot by Giacomo Puccini
• Claire Richards: "Casta diva" from Norma by Vincenzo Bellini
• Joseph Washbourn: "Torna a Surriento" by Giambattista De Curtis and Ernesto De Curtis

Bottom two

• Andy Bell - Eliminated by unanimous vote of the judges 4-0
• Joseph Washbourn

Guest Performers

Performances

• Cheryl Baker: "Un bel di vedremo" from Madama Butterfly by Giacomo Puccini
• Joe McElderry: "Granada" by Agustín Lara
• Claire Richards: "Der Hölle Rache (the second Queen of the Night aria)" from The Magic Flute by Mozart
• Joseph Washbourn: "Fin ch'han dal vino (The Champagne Aria)" from Don Giovanni by Mozart
• Cheryl Baker / Joe McElderry (duet): "Canto della Terra" by Francesco Sartori and Lucio Quarantotto
• Claire Richards / Joseph Washbourn (duet): Con te partirò by Francesco Sartori and Lucio Quarantotto

Result

• Joseph Washbourn - Eliminated by public after receiving the fewest votes
• Claire Richards - Eliminated after finishing third in the public vote

Guest Performers

• Alfie Boe - "Who Am I" from Les Misérables

Note: Rolando Villazón was absent as a judge in this episode because of a concert he had in Switzerland. Therefore, opera tenor Alfie Boe filled in for him.

Performances

• Cheryl Baker: "The Flower Duet (Sous le dôme épais)" from Lakmé by Léo Delibes (a duet with Katherine Jenkins) and "Je veux vivre" from Roméo et Juliette by Charles Gounod (solo)
• Joe McElderry: "Musica proibita" (duet with Rolando Villazón) and "Nessun dorma" by Giacomo Puccini (solo)

Result

• Joe McElderry - Winner by public vote receiving 77.1% of the votes
• Cheryl Baker - Runner-up by public vote receiving 22.9% of the votes

Guest Performers

• Andrea Bocelli

Episode Viewing figures from Broadcasters' Audience Research Board (BARB).^[3]

After the show, Joe McElderry signed a record deal with label Decca, and it was announced he was to release an album of classics, to expose his operatic voice. The album was titled 'Classic' and it was released in August 2011 and charted at no.2, the highest chart position for an album Joe has ever released.