THE phrase there can only be one winner, certainly doesn't apply to the finalists on talent search Any Dream Will Do.

While our very own Lee Mead took the crown, or should that be loin cloth, his competitors have done pretty well for themselves too.

Lewis Bradley is Lee's understudy in the show, Daniel Boys and Ben Ellis are also in the West End - Daniel in Avenue Q and Ben in Hairspray.

While a further three of the finalists have achieved their dreams of appearing in Joseph, after being cast for the touring production.

One of those is 26-year-old Craig Chalmers. Craig came fifth in the television search for a Joseph.

But almost a year on, he's playing the lead role on tour. What's more he's putting in even more performances than Lee. Appearing in ten shows a week, compared to Lee's eight.

"Lee won the part and he was a worthy winner, but to be the other one chosen to do the tour is fantastic," says Craig.

"It's pretty hectic. I've been doing ten shows a week since August and it took me a while to get my body and voice used to doing so many shows, but I'm right into it now," he says.

This is Craig's first taste of musical theatre. Before he auditioned for the role of Joseph, he earned a living as a singer, appearing in everything from a boyband, that landed a top ten hit in his native Scotland, to singing for a male strip troupe called G-Force.

"I played some horrendous gigs," remembers Craig. "There were plenty of grotty little pubs, and having to get changed in grotty little toilets, to then perform in front of a dozen people.

"But you can't just walk straight in at the top, you've got to earn your chances and that's what I've done," he says. "I've kept going for the bigger opportunities."

That includes a shot at the Pop Idol title back in 2003, when Craig made it to the final 50.

"Any Dream Will Do was a much more positive experience for me though," he says. "I loved it, to be honest.

"There was a lot of camaraderie between all the guys. Obviously it was very stressful and emotional having to do the sing offs and hear the judges comments on the live shows and it was also over a very long period of time, which made it like a mega long audition. But if you can get through that, you can get through anything."

It might have been tough, but it certainly paid off. After the show finished, Bill Kenwright, one of the judges on the show and producer of the touring production, approached Craig about being his Joseph.

"I'd had a few offers, but when the part of Joseph came up I jumped at the chance," says Craig.

"Both Bill and Andrew Lloyd Webber have their own ideas of who Joseph should be, and I suppose I'm quite a conventional Joseph in terms of looks and voice and that's what Bill was after."

Craig now believes that not winning the show was a blessing in disguise.

"I probably wasn't ready to go straight into the West End," he admits. "I've been learning every day since the tour began. My voice and acting have improved so much."

He's also got two of his friends from the television show on hand for support.

Runner-up Keith Jack is playing the part of the narrator and Chris Barton, who came eighth in the series, is performing as Joseph's youngest brother Benjamin.

"It's great, we're all really good mates," says Craig, who also keeps in touch with fellow Joseph, Lee.

"I speak to him on the phone regularly, well as regularly as you can in this industry. We were all winding him up when we found out he was going out with Denise. That was a big shock," he laughs.

He might not have a celebrity girlfriend, but this Joseph, whose own other half has been to see him perform in every town on the tour, is pretty happy with his lot.

"Musical theatre is everything I expected it to be," he says. "It's been life changing and presented so many different opportunities." These have included the chance to perform an album and sing on stage at the London Palladium with a handful of his fellow finalists under the group name of Dream On.

"The last year has been crazy," says Craig. "But the most important thing is that I've had such a nice response in the show from all over the country, and that recognition of my career and what I'm doing is what I wanted.

"I was never in it for the fame. It's just nice to be recognised as a performer."

  • Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Cliffs Pavilion, Station Road, Westcliff, Monday April 21 to Saturday April 26, 01702 351135