Date: 6 August 2003
Originally published in: Yorkshire Evening Post (UK)
Written by: Andrew Hutchinson
West Yorkshire’s own Fame Academy contestant, Carolynne Good, today received a message of support from a pop diva who is no stranger to the musical spotlight.
Chart-topping eighties star Kim Wilde is looking to resurrect her career and has recorded It’s You, a song written by the 23-year-old from Bramley, Leeds.
Kim, best-known for hits Kids In America and You Keep Me Hangin’ On, is now hoping Carolynne will find success of her own.
Kim told the Yorkshire Evening Post: “I became aware of Carolynne a couple of months ago after she had written a track called It’s You with my brother, Rick. It’s a very cool song and, although not originally written for me, when Rick told me it was available I was keen to have a go at it.
“We have just recorded a demo of the song and it’s in contention for an album we’re putting together. I know Rick rates Carolynne very highly – and he’s a great judge of talent – and the Academy could be the perfect place for her to develop further. I hope she does really well.”
Carolynne and her fellow students enter the Fame Academy house after the last of three remaining places up for grabs have been decided by public vote tonight on BBC1 at 6.30pm.
And the former Intake High School pupil has now emerged as one of the front runners to win the talent contest which runs until mid-October.
Bookmakers Coral are currently offering online odds of 6/1 on the former Blind Date contestant emerging victorious.
A spokesman for Coral said Carolynne, who sang the Roy Orbison classic I Drove All Night to secure her place in the Academy, was currently fourth favourite to win the competition.
“From what we have seen so far she is one of the better contestants. And she also has the looks which we know is quite important these days.”
James Fox, 27, from Cardiff, is current favourite with Coral at 4/1.
The overall winner of Fame Academy will walk away with a lucrative recording contract with Polydor Records, and will enjoy a showbusiness lifestyle for a year, including a luxury flat, a car, a recording session at Abbey Road studios, a personal stylist and VIP tickets to some of the year’s biggest events.