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Comic Relief Does Fame Academy

2003 - 2007

Friday Launch Show Paul Eliminated

Episode 1

The latest in a long line of celeb reality shows began, Comic Relief Does Fame Academy, but it was clear this one would break the mould set by the likes of Big Brother and Survivor. It was not only personalities that counted in this game, our eight lucky celebs needed to prove thier musical talent to survive as well! On this, the launch night, all eight celebrities sang for the public and the 500+ strong audience at the Fame Academy mansion. First up was Ulrika with her rendition of Paul Diamond's ""You Don't Bring Me Flowers"" and the judges all agreed she could have chosen a better song for her voice. She was followed by Cold Feet star Jon Thomson with Tom Jones' classic ""It's Not Unsual"". The Hollyoaks heart-throb Will Mellor was next with his version of Robbie Williams' ""Let Me Entertain You"". Comedian Jo Brand followed him with ""You Dont Have to Love Me"" by Dusty Springfield. She was followed by Jonathon Ross' brother Paul, who performed ""That's Life"" from Frank Sinatra. Kids TV Pre

Saturday Fearne Eliminated

Episode 2

The second live performance show and highlights from the previous day inside the academy. The seven remaining celebrities discuss thier first evening, all of them say they found it incredibly nerve racking. A visit from Olympic Gold Medallist Audley Harrison who takes a traning session is the biggest highlight of the day, while in the night the big news is, of course, which celeb will be next to leave. The results of the probation vote are in and comedian Jo Brand was saved by the public, leaving Doon and Fearne. The celebrity contestants vote, by majority, to save Doon and eject Fearne from the game. She leaves the studio to be reunited with her family and friends. After which, an important announcement by the academy teachers is made, they have decided that Jo Brand, Will Melor, Ruby Wax and Jon Thompson are all on probabtion and all four will be singing for survival in the following night's show.

Sunday Jo Eliminated

Episode 3

Day three of celebrity Fame Academy and comedian Jo Brand became the third celeb ousted from the academy. In a night of performances, her's was branded ""Dull and unenthused"" by the judges and the public agreed because they saved Will Melor and Ruby Wax, leaving Jon and Jo to fight it out for the right to return to the academy. The student vote went in Jon's favour, with Ulrika, Doon, Kwame and Ruby all voting to keep him in the game for another day at least. After Jo met up with her and family friends, an important announcement was made by academy head teach Richard Park. The three students who would face elimination the following night were Kwame, Jon and Ulrika.

Monday John Eliminated

10th March 2003

Episode 4

In another night of peformances in the fame academy, the five remaining celebrities battled it out to remain in the game. The academy teachers had announced to the students the prior evening that Ulrika, Kwame and John would all be singing for survival in tonights show and all three of them wanted to stay, but only two could. After all three made thier performances presenter Patrick announced the voting lines one last time and the public were given a final hour to call in with thier votes and save one of the students. In the following show the vote was announced, and it was Kwame the public had decided to save from elimination leaving Ulrika and John to face the student vote. First up was Ruby who selected Ulrika, she set a trend and it was Ulrika that the students saved and John they sent packing. After the comedian was reunited with his family, academy head teacher made that crucial announcement he makes every night. Ulrika, Will and Doon would be singing for survivial in the followi

Tuesday Ulrika Eliminated

11th March 2003

Episode 5

In the fith night of Comic Relief Does Fame Academy, it was swedish beauty Ulrika Jonsson was booted out of the celebrity music show, when she could not beat off strong competition from fellow celebs Will Melor (Hollyoaks, Casualty) and Doon Mackhickan (The Borrowers, Smack The Pony). After all six contestants had performed thier songs, the show's hosts Cat Deeley and Patrick Kealty revealed the result of the public phone and sms vote which can save only one of those on probabtion and it was Will Melor they had choosen. A student vote followed and it was up to Ruby, Kwame and Will to decide on who would be the fith to leave the academy. First up was Ruby who decided to keep Ulrika saying she is ""the more talented one"" followed by Kwame who wanted to keep Doon because ""she is ultimatley the best singer"". It was a draw and it meant actor Will Melor would have the deciding vote and he decided to vote for Doon and therefore sending Ulrika home. At the end of the show Academy Head Teacher a

Wednesday Doon Eliminated

12th March 2003

Episode 6

Smack The Pony star Doon Mackickan became the sixth celeb ousted from the reality music challenge in tonights episode of ""Comic Relief Does Fame Academy. The scottish-born comedian and writer was eliminated from the game when beaten by Will Melor, Kwame and Ruby Wax for a place in the show's semi-final. The public vote was announced and insteard of one, it saved two people, and those people were Kwame and Will leaving Doon and Ruby to face the student vote to decide who would stay. While Kwame wanted to save Ruby because ""she gave the best performance"" Will wanted to keep Doon for reasons he wasnt sure of. To make a decision the public voting was called upon again and since Ruby polled more votes she stayed in the academy, meaning Doon Mackickan after surviving several probation votes, would finally leave. The Head Teacher, Richard Park then revealed that all three contestants would face elimination the following night and only two could make it to the finale.

Thursday Kwame Eliminated

13th March 2003

Episode 7

In the semi-final of the celebrity reality show, it was Kwame who fell at the final hurdle and missed out on a place in the grand final. The casualty star Kwame Kwei-Armah was eliminated from the show after losing both the public vote and, the big suprise of the series, all prior students vote. After all of the final three performed the public vote was announced that Will polled most votes and would be in the final, but in a surpise twist, all of the shows six previously eliminated contestants and finalist Will voted on who they wanted in the final out of Ruby and Kwame. Six of the students wanted to keep Ruby in the game, all of them said it was because of the entertainment the American comedian brought to the show. Will alone emotionally voted for Kwame. With the finalists ready for the final, the voting lines were opened once more for the final time.

Red Nose Day - The Final

14th March 2003

Episode 8

As part of BBC One's live Comic Relief telethon, ex-Casualty and Hollyoaks star Will Mellor was crowned the winner of Celebrity Fame Academy, pipping American comedian Ruby Wax to the post. In the shows grand finale live from BBC Television Centre, Cat Deeley and Patrick Kielty arrived on stage after a warm introduction from ITV1 entertainment stars Ant McPartlin and Dec Donnelly as all eight celebrity contestants were brought back. The finalists Will and Ruby both made one last live performance. Vote lines closed when the main Comic Relief show came on air, the public vote was counted and the result announced after 9:00pm. An emotional Will Mellor thanked everyone who had voted for him, as Cat welcomed a very special guest Movie star Hugh Grant to the stage to present Will with his kitch winners trophy and Ruby with a CD of her unique singing from the week of live shows. Doon, Kwame, Will, Jo and Ruby all returned to the stage later that evening well after midnight to dish the

Top Cast

John Thomson•Dawn Steele•Will Mellor

Comic Relief Does Fame Academy is a spin-off of the original Fame Academy show where celebrities sing as students of the Academy. The programme was launched in 2003 to help raise money for the charities supported by Comic Relief, with the final of the show occurring on Red Nose Day. Coverage of the show was widely shown on BBC One, BBC Three, BBC Prime and the CBBC Channel. Many consider the celebrity version of the show to be far more successful than its predecessor. The Comic Relief series returned in 2005 and again in March 2007. It was announced by the BBC that Cat Deeley would not return because she was hosting So You Think You Can Dance. However, Patrick Kielty returned with co-host and host of the former spin-off show Claudia Winkleman.

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