Rushden man on judging panel for new BBC talent show

Harmesh Gharu, 31, from Rushden is head of the commercial music course at Tring Park School and will be one of the 100 judges on the panel for new talent show All Together Now.

The prime-time show presented by former Spice Girl Geri Horner and comedian Rob Beckett starts tomorrow (Saturday) night.

But Harmesh, who was a pupil at Rushden School from 1998 to 2005, is no stranger to working with talented singers and musicians, having taught stars former X Factor finalist Ella Henderson, Daisy Ridley, who appeared in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi and Murder on the Orient Express, and Richard Linnell, who plays Alfie Nightingale in Hollyoaks.

Both Ella and Richard were in choirs at Tring Park School that Harmesh also coached.

Talking about his role in the judging panel, Harmesh said: “It was such a privilege to be asked.”

Tring Park is one of the UK’s top performing arts schools and offers performers aged eight to 19 the chance to pursue their passions with courses in dance, drama, musical theatre and commercial music.

All Together Now consists of six episodes.

Singers are invited to perform in front of the 100 judges and if they are impressed, they press their buzzer, stand up and start singing along.

After the performance, the contestant gets a score out of 100 that equals how many judges liked them.

And whichever two singers achieve the highest score in their heat, they then go through to the final with a prize of £50,000 up for grabs.

To catch Harmesh on All Together Now, make sure you’re watching BBC One at 7.15pm tomorrow.