Gareth's latest choir programme. Anyone else disappointed?

[MardyBra]

Watched the first episode of the new series earlier. Am disappointed that they're not selecting the best choirs, but instead going for the crappy human interest stories.

Sorry, the Durham mums seem very nice ladies but they're not a patch on some of the other choirs, especially the Scottish soul group. Those top notes were very shrill.

[jessicapearson]

Yep I agree and came here to see if anyone else had thought as much! Was convinced it would be the soul group. Or he was going to make the honey one 'cool".

[ftmsoon]

I said the same to DH last night: I want to hear them sing not watch them cry! It's gone all channel4, won't bother with the next episode.

[LIZS]

It was rather padded out. Would have preferred more choirs/heats on the episode and less of the back stories.

[Chippednailvarnishing]

Smug Mcsmugface does my head in!

[INeedNewShoes]

The editing was unhelpful. It made it look as though the Durham Mums were selected but then didn't receive the musical coaching that they desperately need. Then, lo and behold at the end performance, they very clearly had been having training.

For me, some of the training process should have been shown.

I actually like the Durham Mums, because without having had any training or a standout musical member of the group they were doing a pretty good job at the original audition. This makes their potential more exciting than a group who are already musically pretty good and wouldn't benefit so much from the process.

[MardyBra]

I reckon the Durham mums had coaching from someone other than Gareth, and that's why they didn't show the process. He was probably too busy swanning around getting the maudlin interviews. Which is a shame because he seemed very good at coaching people in previous series.

Even with coaching though, I still didn't rate them. Very ropey in the upper register.

[MrsJamin]

If I was in a choir in the North / Scotland, I'd have been spitting teeth at the Mums from Durham being chosen as the best from the region! They'd done well for forming by themselves in less than a year but really they were very poor. I adore these programmes usually so I was really disappointed. I think they've opted for the story /journey and lost the musicality. Hopeful that they'll rectify it in the rest of the series but I'm not holding my breath.

[NoelHeadbands]

I've quite enjoyed tonight's programme.

I was a bit 'meh' about EAGA at first but ended up thinking they were all thoroughly fab.

[absolutelynotfabulous]

I enjoyed the acapella prog but not this. Too much filling in, too much piffle, not enough singing.

Why is it necessary to dumb things down?

[MrsJamin]

EAGA were fab in the end. I'm not sure about the format though - what was the hunting for the hotel room about? All he did that day was listen to one choir sing - and he's that tired? Bit weird. I preferred the a cappella programme and it kick started my obsession with listening to a cappella!

[carabos]

The Durham mums were embarrassing- all that crying coupled with rubbish singing. I think he was hoping for a military wives vibe with them. Didn't see anything of their back story, so they just seem like a small group of weeping fat women. The weeping and being fat might be relevant so if that's because they're overcoming something then fair play to them.

[Izzy24]

Well I thought Semitoned were great and I'm glad they won .

[LIZS]

I think their "story" was good and Gareth particularly related to them. Their initial audition was terribly contrived though.

[Knittedfrog]

I was at the recording of the final and believe me they were the best of a bad bunch on the night!

[OublietteBravo]

I thought Semitoned's gospel was awesome, but hated the second song in their medley (the one in their style).