Any Dream Will Do: Lee Mead
Any Dream Will Do winner, Lee Mead was 25 when he entered the BBC search to find a Joseph.
On 9 June 2007, Lee Mead won Any Dream Will Do after over three million votes were cast either for him or fellow finalist Keith Jack.
Originally from Southend-on-Sea, Lee Mead was living in London when he entered Any Dream Will Do.
Lee Mead's father drives an HGV for the post office and his mother an office cleaner and he grew up in Southend.
Lee Mead went to Whitehall Performing Arts College.
In an interview with Lee Mead in The Telegraph it points out that he left college early and worked on the ferries, singing to passengers on the Bay of Biscay. Then, after six months without work, Lee Mead got a job in Bridlington on the in-house cabaret team.
Lee Mead went on to appear in a variety of shows including as the understudy for Raoul in the Phantom of the Opera and as Pharoah in the UK Tour of Joseph & His Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, so the role of Joseph is not too alien for him.
Lee Mead's performance in Joseph gained very positive reviews on the south coast. For example, the West Sussex Gazette wrote:
"Lee Mead was an understandable favourite as a rock and roll Pharaoh who almost managed to out-Presley Elvis in the Song of the King."
Lee Mead's other credits include Tommy and Miss Saigon, as well as dancing in a Geri Halliwell video.
Lee Mead's jobs, outside of performing, have included working at a KFC and as a postman.
The BBC has footage of Lee Mead's Any Dream Will Do audition.
Lee Mead's debut single, Any Dream Will Do, entered the charts at number two.
News of Lee Mead, Preeya Kalidas (the Narrator), Dean Collinson (Pharaoh) and Stephen Tate (Jacob/Potiphar/Guru) can be found on the Joseph The Musical website.
In November 2007, Lee Mead won a new talent award at the Variety Club Showbiz Awards.
The BBC interviewed Lee Mead about the making of his debut album entitled Lee Mead and the single, Gonna Make You a Star.
In December 2007, The Sun reported that Lee Mead was going out with Denise van Outen.