Lloyd Webber quits BBC to 'search for Jesus' on ITV - Daily TV round-up

Andrew Lloyd Webber is to leave the BBC to launch a new musical programme on ITV.

The legendary composer, who has already fronted four musical reality shows on the BBC including ‘How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria’ and ‘I’d Do Anything’, will use the show to find a new Jesus for ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’.

Lloyd Webber signed the deal with ITV to find a new leading man for a remake of his West End musical but he is also expected to look for someone to play Judas in the rock opera.

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The BBC’s fear of offending religious viewers by auditioning members of the public to play Jesus reportedly led to Lloyd Webber taking the project to ITV.

An insider told The Sun that 'he has been wanting to get this off the ground for some time but the BBC just didn’t want it. They had issues about auditioning for Jesus. They feared Christians would get hot under the collar'.

The source also said the BBC kept getting complaints for acting as a promotional portal for Andrew Lloyd Webber’s commercial projects.

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The millionaire music maker will take position as head judge on the panel with Steve Balsamo, a Welsh singer who once played Jesus in a London revival of the musical, also said to be on board.

More names are yet to be confirmed for the judging panel.

The winner will perform in a planned arena tour of the production rather than being staged in London’s West End like Lloyd Webber’s previous musicals. [The Sun]

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