Free Daring to Dream by Sam Bailey Page A

feeling like such a fool. These gorgeous girls were pirouetting around me, and being a footballer I wasn’t the most graceful person in the world. We were shown a dance routine and we all had to keep up with the instructor. I was going the wrong way and getting the moves completely wrong and in my head I was thinking, ‘Never mind. I’ve got all of my football gear with me. Maybe I can still make the trials at Arsenal?’
    I was convinced I wasn’t going to get through that round. When they asked me to stay for another interview I was so astonished I blurted out, ‘Are you sure?
Me
?!’ It turned out that two of the people I’d been telling jokes to in the restaurant worked for Thompson recruitment and they’d been watching everyone to see if people were being entertaining. They said I really stood out as someone who was a laugh and really friendly. Result.
    I had to have an interview with several Thompson execs and when they asked me what my strengths were I replied, ‘I’ve been a Bluecoat and I’m really good at talking to people from all different walks of life. I’m not a topper (someone who’s always trying to be better than other people) and I’m really easy going. I also know how to make people feelspecial and I’m always up for a laugh.’ The interview seemed to go well but we weren’t going to hear for a minimum of two weeks, so we were sent away with all of the information about what the job would entail and told to be patient. The more I read about where we’d get to go and what we’d get to do, the more I thought ‘Wow, I could really do this. It would be amazing. I want this job!’
    I couldn’t stop thinking about the job and every day I wanted it more and more. I’ve always been a bit impatient, so I decided to take matters into my own hands. I rang up Thompson recruitment and said in the stupidly strong cockney accent I had at the time, ‘Hello, I was at the auditions last week and…’ Before I could even finish the sentence the woman on the other end said, ‘Is that Sam? We were just talking about you.’ Out of all of the hundreds of people who had auditioned that day she’d recognised me. I could only think that was a good thing? I wanted to shout, ‘Please tell me you want me!’ There was a pause and then she said, ‘I shouldn’t really be telling you this but you’ve got the job. Congratulations. We’ll be sending all of your documentation to you soon.’
    I got off the phone and immediately said to my dad, ‘I’m going to the Mediterranean. I’ve got the bloody job!’ I was thrilled but also scared because I was 22 and I was going to be going abroad on my own for the first time ever. But what did I have to lose? I had nothing to keep me at home and I was desperate for some adventure. About a week later thishuge folder arrived telling me exactly where I was going, who I would be working with, what I would be expected to do and which songs I’d be singing. There were seven CDs from various shows that we’d be performing and I had to learn all of the lyrics beforehand. I also had to have a full medical, including a smear test, which I’d never had before.
    I travelled up to Wakefield to do rehearsals for the shows with all of the other staff members. We learnt dance routines and we had to be able to perform together flawlessly. The entertainment team was made up of three female singers, including me, three male singers and four female dancers. One of the other singers, Jolene, was from the same area as me and we got on really well. The other female singer, Sarah, was amazing but she was much more of a musical theatre singer so she had really precise diction, which sounded a bit strange when she was singing pop songs. She put so much effort into everything she did and has since landed a role in a West End show, which she totally deserves. I’m so happy for her.
    As for the men: John was a total lad and now performs in a Gary Barlow tribute act, Richard is an events