Andrew Lloyd Webber answers YOUR questions...

Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber's latest talent search I'd Do Anything has just kicked off on BBC1 on Saturday nights, he's currently putting the finishing touches to The Phantom Of The Opera sequel and he's just relaunched his website. Find out what he had to say when we put the best of your questions to him...

How can people get noticed to get in to the musical business?

The best way to get noticed is to perform somewhere or get your music performed somewhere,  that’s exactly what Tim Rice and I did. Schools and colleges are a brilliant way to do it. When we did Technicolour Dream Coat 40 years ago we started in a school and we got noticed in a school. Also, it’s far more easier to get discovered today with the net.

Are you absolutely sure that a sequel to Phantom is the way to go?

It’s a very good question. We’ll see. It’s a very tough one but it’s a very good story. It’s taken me over ten years to decide to do it.

Is there any truth that you are considering X Factor runner-up Rydian Roberts as the Phantom in the Phantom of the Opera sequel?

Absolutely not at all.

What advice would you give any child who watches your reality shows about the almost certain rejection that auditioning brings?

I think you need to decide whether you really seriously have got an ambition to be in musicals and theatre. Because if you have got a serious ambition to do it you will find your way through somewhere. Clearly there are some people who are better than others but people have got to come to terms with what they are good at. I very early on came to the conclusion that I was better as a composer. I would have liked to have written lyrics but I knew I couldn’t.

The difference between my show and other reality shows is that we are there to try to get the best out of performers. The line that has stuck about my shows is that we nurture, we do not torture. Sometimes the performers are not right for the show we are casting but the extraordinary thing that has happened with the Marias and the Josephs is that so many of them have gone on to work in other things. I say to kids all the time 'if you're not right for this one, you may be right for something else.'

What are your views on the rather snobbish view that musical theatre is not 'real' theatre?

What on earth are they are talking about? Anyone who would ask that is very stupid and they should go and take a jump off a very large cliff.

I'm doing GCSE music and composing a couple of pieces, but i can't stick with one idea! Do you have any advice please?

The one thing about composing music is that you can’t teach people to do it. What you can do if they know about writing music or they have some ability is give them tips and advice based on what’s happened in the past. My father, who was the director of The London College Of Music, told me not to go to music college because the real danger would be that it would educate my music out of me. And I think that’s the best advice that I would give. Learn what you can, technique is one thing but what you cannot do is teach people how to write music.

You recently appeared in Hollyoaks – do you have plans to appear in any other soaps?

I don't think so. (Laughing) After such an epic performance in that, something I will get a BAFTA for, if not an Emmy, it might be time to leave it to other actors and give them a chance.

How long do you plan to continue with your BBC reality shows?

I don't know because I've got the new Phantom next year and I’m doing three other TV shows around the world. I don’t think I was put on the planet to do television to be honest with you. I enjoy doing it and helping young people as a consequence but I have got to think about my own new shows.

Do you have any predictions on who will win I'd Do Anything?

Not at this stage but I think there are some extremely talented girls on the show.

You can find out more about Andrew Lloyd Webber and read his weekly blog on BBC1's I'd Do Anything by visiting his recently relaunched official website at www.andrewlloydwebber.com/

-Find out what's on TV tonight