Variety Club names Mead top new talent

Published Monday 19 November 2007 at 15:55 by Lalayn Baluch

Lee Mead, winner of BBC talent search Any Dream Will Do, has been named Outstanding New Talent at the Variety Club Showbiz Awards 2007 for his debut in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

Meanwhile, David Suchet picked up the prize for Stage Performance of the Year for his role in The Last Confession, and Cabaret was awarded Best Musical Theatre at the ceremony which took place at the London Hilton last night (Sunday).

Jude Law and Keira Knightley took Film Actor and Film Actress of the Year at the Variety Club’s annual awards, now in its 55th year, while Philip Glenister won TV Performance of the Year for Life on Mars and Michael Parkinson was given the accolade of Outstanding Contribution to Showbusiness.

All winners were decided on by the Variety board, with the exception of the Best TV Show category, which readers of the Daily Express awarded to the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing.

Also receiving a prize was Lee Evans for Best Comedy, Westlife for Best Recording Artist and Katherine Jenkins for Classical Performer of the Year. Jerry Springer won the International Award for his show on Sky One.