‘Let It Shine’: Gary Barlow distances new show from ‘X Factor’

Over the weekend on BBC One, we’re going to see the debut of a new singing show in “Let It Shine,” one that we already know that Simon Cowell is supposedly not thrilled with. It’s another show in his singing-show genre, and it’s one that uses a similar premise at the core of it. Both shows are going to feature four judges watching a series of performances, and then offering a little bit of feedback on them.

However, this is where things start to differ a little bit. The winners of this show form a five-piece Take That tribute act, which they can use as a launching pad to a larger career. It’s a very different sort of trajectory towards stardom than you get from other singing shows, but who knows? Maybe it ends up working.

Speaking per the Mirror, Gary Barlow — the “head judge” of the panel and of course the former Take That member — made it clear what it is that this show is about:

“This is for a job, it is not someone waving a contract. The record business is very hard now I can’t even predict what is going to be successful or not. But with this I was able to sit there and say the reason you are here today is a job. We are going to give you an opportunity to play around the UK 8 shows a week. By the end of the year I hope these will be the start of careers of years to come.”

One thing we do like about the show is that it is aiming for more of a practical approach to stardom rather than crowning you the “winner” and then throwing you to the wolves. You cannot sustain a career based solely on people seeing you here; you need to be able to make new fans over time and do shows. This show offers that chance. We’re not sure that it will produce a top-selling act like Little Mix or One Direction, but we do feel like there’s a much better chance that the winner will be successful here than on the British version of “The Voice.”

Speaking of which, head over here to see what “The Voice” coach Sir Tom Jones had to say about how the show may do a better job supporting its stars this year. (Photo: BBC.)