Lucy gets a lift from a return to Blackpool

The Britain’s Got Talent 2014 runner-up will be in the resort next week, in her musical theatre debut as the Narrator in the favourite musical.

But she’s looking forward to spending a little more time in the town than previous one-night-only visits have allowed.

She’s joined her TV talent show brothers Collabro, who beat her to the BGT crown, in concert, and she had the honour of performing at the Christmas lights switch-on.

And it was on that occasion she experienced something of a personal nightmare.

“I got stuck in Blackpool Tower,” she said. “They said we’ll take you to the top, and I joked – because I hate lifts – if I get stuck it will be hilarious if I can’t do the lights.

“Going up I was freaking out. Then when we came to go back down, the lift wouldn’t move, I was having the biggest panic attack you’ve ever seen.

“The doors opened, but the lift wouldn’t work for ages.

“We were waiting up there, and it was really windy, and they had to move me back on the schedule for the lights.

“So I don’t think I’ll try that again, although I am looking forward to a night out, and I have friends in Blackpool so it will be nice to have time there.”

So hopefully there won’t be a repeat of the lift debacle, as there’s not much time in the performance schedule for a delayed start – with two or three performances most days.

“It is a challenge, it’s a different world for me,” the singer said of tackling a musical. “I always wanted to be in musicals. When I went to college, I had friends in the musical theatre course and I was thinking I want to do that.

“I was getting a bit bored of the opera side of it being quite serious, so I’m glad this has come along.

“As much as I do love opera, there’s nothing ‘new’, but this is a challenge.”

While the show may be about Joseph, being played by another familiar face on the Fylde Joe McElderry, it’s Lucy’s role as the Narrator which holds much of the action, piecing together the set pieces which tell the Biblical tale.

“They should change the name of the show,” she jokes. “The Narrator is a huge part, but with Joe as Joseph, that’s the part people come wanting to see, but it’s me telling the story and that’s quite a task.

“I was in two minds when I was offered the part. But it was a fear of the unknown, but fear can push you either way, to make you more determined or back into your shell.”

Lucy’s spirit carried her through Britain’s Got Talent, despite being a quiet, shy young woman, and unlike many a talent show contestant, she’s got no regret s looking back.

“I’m really glad I did it,” she said. “People think ‘Oh it’s another talent show’ but they are discovering new people; I wouldn’t be here if it hadn’t been around.”

* Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is at Blackpool Opera House, from Tuesday. Visit www.wintergardensblackpool.co.uk for show times and tickets.