From Pop Star to Opera Star

He's tried his hand at conducting and now Classic FM presenter Alex James is to attempt to transform himself into an opera star as one of eight celebrities taking part in a new ITV show, Popstar to Operastar, in which pop stars learn to sing opera.

Classic FM's Weekend Breakfast show presenter and classically trained musician Myleene Klass will be hosting the show, alongside Alan Titchmarsh, while The Sunday Spa's Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen will sit on the judging panel with rock star Meatloaf.

Joining Alex will be Coronation Street actress Kym Marsh, Bernie Nolan, 70s pop legend Jimmy Osmond, pop singer Vanessa White from girl group The Saturdays, Pop-Idol runner-up and West End star Darius Danesh, Shakespears Sister singer Marcella Detroit and McFly's Danny Jones.

The artists, who mostly honed their craft on the pop and rock stage, will be trained to perform world-famous opera songs and arias by soprano Katherine Jenkins and Mexican tenor Rolando Villazon.

The show will be screened on Friday evenings on ITV from 15th January. Anne-Marie Minhall will be talking exclusively to Rolando Villazon about his role on the show in a special one-hour show at 9pm on Satruday 16th January.