Ronan Keating: All Together Now is a different kind of talent show

ALL TOGETHER NOW ★★½
Series premiere, Sunday, 7pm, Seven

Irish pop sensation Ronan Keating isn't usually one to blend in with the crowd. But standing alongside 99 other professional crooners in the Muppet Show-style judges' gallery on the local version of Britain's All Together Now, he does a bit, at least in the wide shot. Keating might be the captain of this intimidating mob dubbed "the 100", but his decision to light up his cubicle if he likes what he sees bears as much weight as that of the Michael Jackson impersonator two rows down. And he becomes part of the chorus when everyone joins in the song.

For Keating, who has been a judge on both local versions of The Voice and The X Factor, this lighthearted format is a "breath of fresh air".

"For the last 10 years, we've had all these reality shows that have been looking for the global star, whereas a show like All Together Now is not about that. It's about having a good time. It's about enjoying yourself. Everybody can sit back and make their own mind up on whether they think they enjoyed someone's performance and at the end of this show, the winner gets $100,000. They're not promised a record deal or anything like that."

Host Julia Zemiro enhances the frivolous nature of proceedings, stage-whispering pithy asides from the wings and tearing up and down the rows of judges to conduct post-performance interviews. Whether she's chatting with musical theatre veteran, Rhonda Burchmore, the Choirboys' Mark Gable or gently mocking Keating's brogue, she sticks to first names, reinforcing the idea that fame isn't so important on this stage.

"Julia is just brilliant," says Keating. "She kills me. We bounce off each other. We worked together many moons ago on what was called then The Project. We've been hanging out again, just getting to know each other's sense of humour. The lines that she drops and just the way that she delivers her stuff, I've got to get used to that and understand it."

Not all the faces fronting the enormous panel are new. Keating recognises several contestants (and some judges) from auditions for The X Factor and The Voice. With so many entertainers in one studio, he admits there is a risk of exhausting Australia's talent pool.

"I do think every country is worried about that. But you're also looking at a whole other walk of life coming on a show like this. You're going to see people who wouldn't necessarily be interested in going on The X Factor. They might not want to be a recording artist. They might not want to have the pressure of a record label, they just want to come on and have a good time."

There is plenty of TV talent, he says, in the 100 judges, who represent a variety of genres, from choral and rap, jazz, pop and cabaret.

"Some are well known, some not so well known, but I think you get all different levels of enthusiasm. We'll get all sorts of great stories and anecdotes and quotes and funny lines which make the show unique."

Raised in a culture where music is an accepted recreational activity for everyone, not just the exceptionally talented, Keating is all for sing-alongs.

"In Ireland, we are very much like that. A lot of people aren't looking for fame. When we live in a world where everyone wants their 15 minutes of fame, I think it's nice to have a show like All Together Now, where it's about people having 15 minutes of fun. The Irish people know how to have a good time and maybe that's why I fit into a show like this."

Bridget McManus

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