Dianne to sing while she works in TV choir (From Knutsford Guardian)
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Dianne to sing while she works in TV choir
4:30pm Saturday 29th September 2012 in News
By James Wilson
Dianne with choirmaster Gareth Malone
ONE of the stars of a Knutsford theatre group will be part of a choir representing Manchester Airport in a new television series.
Dianne Anderson, 65, works in one of the Escape Lounges at Manchester Airport, but will be starring on the small screen on Thursday, October 4, in a new series featuring choirmaster Gareth Malone.
The series, entitled The Choir: Sing While You Work – airing on BBC Two on Thursday’s at 9pm – sees Malone forming four workplace choirs over four weeks – at Lewisham Hospital Trust, Trent Severn Water, Bristol Royal Mail and Manchester Airport.
Diane, from Lower Peover, has been a member of Knutsford Musical Theatre Company for 17 years, and told the Guardian she was urged to take part by her fellow workers.
“When an e-mail came through from the airport about it my colleagues said I had to do it,” she said.
“I went along to the audition and there were a lot of nervous people there. We had two auditions and then he picked the 30 for the choir.
“Gareth was a really genuinely nice person, very friendly, and we all felt completely at ease.
“At first it was strange having cameras around all the time, but it was also nice to get to know other members of the airport and we’ve all become quite close.”
Dianne and the choir rehearsed every week for three months, and the final edition of the show on October 25 will see the four compete against each other in a bid to be crowned series champion.
Dianne said she couldn’t give the ending away.
“I can’t say very much at the moment, and could only talk about it with my family when the filming was done,” she said.
“I had to have a bit of time off to go to the rehearsals and had to come home early from my holiday for the semi- final. I left my husband Phil in Tenerife and had to buy another ticket to get home for it.
“But we had the full support of the airport, and we are going to continue with the choir so the airport has said they are giving us a room to rehearse in and the majority have said they will stay.”
Dianne is rehearsing for Knutsford Musical Theatre Company’s performance of Oliver, being staged at the Grange Theatre in Hartford from January 16 to 19, 2013.
