Travellers Get TV Talent Show
Photo: Christopher Preece/travellerstimes.org.uk
For weeks it’s been the talk of the tabloid newspapers. Today, Travellers Times can exclusively reveal that last year’s nationwide talent contest Travellers Got Talent will be repeated across Britain this summer as part of an 8 hour television series being made to undo some of the damage created by the Channel 4 mockumentary series My Big Fat Gypsy Weddings.
Building on the success of last year’s contest, Travellers Got Talent 2011 will take place at 5 regional finals across England leading to a spectacular national final where contestants from traditional Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities will compete to win Travellers Got Talent 2011.
In 2010, Travellers Got Talent was held throughout Gypsy Roma and Traveller History Month in June. This year with public funding for the month now gone, organisers at the Gypsy Media Company Ltd have secured private support to put the competition on again.
All five regional finals are being held as part of this year’s Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month celebrations in June, but are being privately financed by a TV production company in order to produce an 8 hour series called “A Gypsy Life For Me” for Sky’s Biography Channel .
From Dorset to Derbyshire, Britain’s diverse Gypsy and Traveller community will be coming together to show off their talents. The competition is open to anyone over the age of 11 performing in any way they like.
From singing to Mcing, from flamenco dance to hip hop, anything that can be performed live is allowed. Everbody from stand-up comics to gymnasts, spoon players and magicians are welcome.
Photo: Christopher Preece/travellerstimes.org.uk
Romany journalist and promoter of Travellers Got Talent Jake Bowers said: “The Gypsy and Traveller community is considered to be guilty of many things but capable of nothing, so this series will bypass the crude stereotypes recently used by other broadcasters and reveal a community that has survived by entertaining others for well over a thousand years.
"By throwing open the doors on the Gypsy and Travellers own annual talent contest – Travellers Got Talent – we will be revealing the tales and talents of those determined to follow in the footsteps of other famous Gypsy performers such as Charlie Chaplin, Cher Lloyd, Bob Hoskins or the Gypsy Kings.”
The dates of the regional finals and their respective organisers are below. To enter simply get in touch with the regional organiser where you'd like to compete.
South East: June 4th 2011
Location: Epsom Derby,
Epsom Downs Racecourse, Epsom Downs, Surrey, KT18 5LQ
Contact: Jake Bowers, The Gypsy Media Company Ltd, Tel: 07966 786242. Email: jake@grthm.co.uk
East Midlands and East of England: June 18th
Location: Genesis Social Enterprise Centre, King Street, Alfreton, Derbyshire DE55 7DQ
Contact Tracy Nedic, 07771 416854 traceylgclgroup@aol.com
London: June 19th
Location: Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London SE1 8XX
Contact Jake Bowers, The Gypsy Media Company Ltd, Tel: 07966 786242. Email: jake@grthm.co.uk
North: June 26th
Location: The Winsford Centre, The Edge, Cheviot Square, Winsford, Cheshire, CW7 1QS
Contact: Jane-Ann Hurn Tel: 07590690607
South West: July 2nd
Location: East Christchurch Social Club, Grange Road, Christchurch, Dorset, BH23 4JD
Contact Tracy Nedic, 07771 416854 traceylgclgroup@aol.com
The top three acts from each regional final will be entitled to perform at the national final to be held in the London area on 23rd July 2011. To compete for the following prizes:
- 1st place: £500
- 2nd place: £300
- 3rd place: £200
Photo: Christopher Preece/travellerstimes.org.uk
Co-promoter Tracey Nedic of the Leicestershire Gypsy Liaison Group is organising the regional finals in the Midlands, the East of England and the South West. She said: “With two of last year’s national winners, Olivia Ayres and the Doyle Family, coming from my area, I’m confident that our event in Derbyshire will lead to great success for some of the many people already coming forward to take part in Travellers Got Talent 2011. But no matter where you are from get in touch as soon as you can to make sure you’re included.”
Watch a film about last year's event below.