Email: thebrettfamily@hotmail.com
28/06/07
Hi Everyone,
I cant believe it has been 10 years since I portrayed Alma on Stars In Their Eyes, it feels like yesterday. What a fabulous 10 years I have had thanks to Alma.
It was my husband Steve who pointed out that I looked like Alma Cogan when I first joined his Band who were resident at The Mecca “Top Of The World Ballroom” in Stafford in 1978. I had heard the name but didn’t know what she looked like until we took a trip to Blackpool and I saw Alma’ photograph on the booth of Gypsy Rose Lee on the promenade.
When I decided to go in for Stars In Their Eyes a few years later it was either Alma Cogan or Brenda Lee and they phoned me to tell me I had got an audition and could I do Alma Cogan.
We were living in Blackpool and we were walking past the Gypsy Rose Lee booth and looked for the Alma Cogan photo’s with the fortune teller which I had seen some years previous but it wasn’t there. The Gypsy lady came out and I asked her where the photograph of Alma Cogan had gone. She said that was when her Mother had been telling fortunes and she had taken over from her. She looked at me for a moment then said that I shouldn’t worry because I will be on the show. I hadn’t mentioned anything about Stars In Their Eyes, it was really a weird moment.
I remember the first audition very well it was a Friday . There were three people sitting at a table with my photo’s all over it. When I looked closer they were photo’s of Alma that’s when I realised how similar I was to Alma.
As I did my audition the choreographer was dancing around and the interest from the other two was intense. I had only returned home about an hour and I got a phone call to come back on the Monday.
I sang Dreamboat and Bellbottom Blues the way the choreographer was dancing around doing the hornpipe etc I thought that they would choose Bellbottom Blues, but they decided on Dreamboat because it was a number one hit for Alma.
Then it was a whirlwind of rehearsals, dancing lessons and dress fittings (I loved that).
I am so glad I did the show and I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did.
Last year I was asked to appear on the TV show of Alma’s life but I refused it. I now regret that but at the time it felt right to say no.
I am still working all over the country and in Spain and I always include Alma in my show. I get great pleasure helping to keep her memory alive it’s the least I can do to repay her for the joy and recognition she has given me since my Stars In Their Eyes appearance.
Bye everyone, take care,