TV review: Your Face Sounds Familiar

He's a dated, very safe, slick, yet self-effacing Leslie Crowther-esque bland entertainer. Or is he?

Taking his place on our screens as Your Face Sounds Familiar's co-host alongside the refreshingly-natural Alesha Dixon, he so obviously reels the autocued jokes off, goes through the well-rehearsed motions of a sleek US quiz show host from the 1950s, and yet, he's somehow likeable.

Now, along with 'No likee, no lightee' from the horrendous Take Me Out dating show, we've got him screaming out at the top his voice 'release the randomiser!' And it's all done with the utmost enthusiasm, which is more than can be said for some of the contestants!

They're introduced, having had the stars they will be impersonating (to use the term lightly) chosen for them by the aforementioned 'randomiser'.

So, the Black Country's own Denise Lewis, is first, wigged up and squeezed into a very showbizzy sequined number, to do quite a creditable turn as Tina Turner. She definitely has the moves while ripping out Nutbush City Limits, a fantastic performance from her, and nice to see her in a different light than at the side of a running track being very serious.

Heather from EastEnders, sorry, I mean Cheryl Fergison, took on Dusty Springfield to sing You Don't Have To Say You Love Me, and for the first few bars she had the perfect tone, it was like Dusty was in the room. Then it got lost somewhere, but nonetheless, it was pretty good. It was so good in fact judge Julian Cleary was more like Julian Teary, welling up over the re-emergence of his heroine 1960s beehived superstar, albeit, somewhat more rotund!

As for Alexander Armstrong, what on earth is he thinking? He can't need the money; he certainly doesn't need the exposure! He was given Johnny Cash as his performance – he looks good in black, but it was possibly the most operatic version of Ring of Fire I've ever heard. I can only imagine it is his ambition to be on all major networks simultaneously, and as he came on, I flicked over to the BBC, and indeed there he was presenting Pointless Celebrities!

The most cringeworthy moment of the show was Paddy's attempt at an off-the-cuff remark, with Alexander having done his bit and got his marks, he said at least he wasn't Pointless! Geddit! At which poor Alexander grimaced obviously thinking he was going to sack his agent.

Emmerdale actress Natalie Anderson was all dolled up as Katy Perry to do her turn with California Gurls, it's not going to go down as anything remarkable; and This Morning presenter Matt Johnson (no, not the Matt Johnson of The The fame) got wigged up himself to do a not-half bad Jon Bon Jovi with Livin' On A Prayer.

But, for me, Bobby Davro was far and away the best, getting into the spirit of the show, with a fantastically over-the-top Tom Jones doing Sex Bomb. But when put to the public vote, Heather, sorry, I mean Cheryl was chosen as the winner and her £10,000 is going towards a children's hospice.

All very honourable, but do we really have to suffer another five shows of this?

It's all a bit Stars In Their Eyes, the only blessing with that was, it was one show, and then celebs went through to a final, whereas with this, the sextet will be trying different impressions each week.

They've tried to spice things up with gimmicks and special guest judges. Donny Osmond wasn't a bad choice for star appeal for the first show, I suppose, but it all seems a bit desperate.

Secretly, it would be nice to see Denise do well, but then we might be a bit biased in this part of the world! Next week she has got to sing as Lenny Kravitz and Matt Johnson is Taylor Swift, well it might be worthwhile checking out after all. Let's hope Alexander loosens up a bit as he's got to be Johnny Rotten, after his stiff-shirted performance as the Man In Black, his points total could be Pretty Vacant.

By Graeme Andrew