We Don’t Talk Enough About the Time Jessie Buckley Was on an Insane Reality Show

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If you recognize the name Jessie Buckley, you likely picture her powerful performance in Chloé Zhao’s film, Hamnet. Many are already predicting an Oscar nomination for her portrayal of Agnes, Shakespeare’s wife, vividly expressing the grief of a mother who has lost her child – a raw and heartbreaking performance often shown with her in a striking red outfit.

You know, as a classic musical fan, I still vividly remember Sheridan Buckley from a really unique time in her career. It was spring 2008, and she was on this British TV show competing for the role of Nancy in Oliver!. She’d show up every week in this incredibly sparkly dress – seriously, it looked like something you’d grab for a Victorian costume party – with dramatic eye makeup and tight curls. Her voice was just incredible, belting out show tunes, jazz, and pop songs. The judges did point out her stage movement was a little stiff – she often kept her arms at her sides – but honestly, she was only 18! It was a really memorable audition, and she definitely left an impression, even if she didn’t quite nail the choreography.

The BBC show I’d Do Anything appeared during the height of reality TV in the 2000s, when almost any idea – from ice skating competitions to finding Paris Hilton a friend – could become a show. It was the third reality TV project from composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, and aired on Saturday nights on BBC with Graham Norton as host. The goal was to discover new performers for revivals of classic musicals like The Sound of Music, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Oliver!, and The Wizard of Oz. By letting viewers vote on the cast, the show created a new level of public interest in British theater.

The reality shows created by Andrew Lloyd Webber were truly bizarre. These shows, known by the names of their contestants – like the “Nancys” or the “Marias” – involved having a group of people live together and compete in weekly, themed challenges. For example, on I’d Do Anything, the contestants worked at a market in East London and were even asked to rehearse kissing scenes with their fathers! Buckley, at least, found the whole thing funny, playfully teasing her dad about it. Adding to the strangeness, Webber himself sat on a throne and was addressed as “the lord” throughout the show.

Looking back, some of the stuff on those shows was just…over the top. The eliminations were particularly wild. Can you imagine? The ‘Dorothys’ would hand Andrew Lloyd Webber their ruby slippers, and the ‘Josephs’ had their technicolor dreamcoats taken off by the other contestants before they even sang their goodbye song – ‘Close Any Door,’ of course. There was always a lot of tears, and honestly, who could blame them? Seeing those dreams crushed live on television was tough. While these shows didn’t launch superstars on the level of Kelly Clarkson or Leona Lewis, for a while there, the contestants were genuinely famous. I remember when the Sex and the City movie premiered in London, and the guys playing Nancy actually walked the red carpet! Buckley wore this really of-the-moment floral dress with a big bow belt – it screamed 2008, in the best way.

These shows offered viewers an unprecedented look at the world of musical theater, and they changed the game by opening up opportunities to a wider range of performers. Professional actors had to compete for roles alongside amateurs with experience only from school or local productions. Joss Buckley, who had recently been turned down by a prestigious music school, was one of those amateur hopefuls. The show frequently highlighted her humble beginnings in a small town in southwestern Ireland, with her mother sharing, “Something like this has never happened in our town before.”

There was a lot to admire about Buckley’s performance. From the start, she stood out, and judge Webber was a huge fan, often enthusiastically praising her powerful voice. The other judges, however, weren’t as impressed. They focused on her perceived lack of conventional femininity, labeling her awkward and a “tomboy,” and one judge dismissively called her “unfeminine.” This felt strange, considering Webber claimed to be searching for a tough, streetwise character – a “Nancy” type – rather than a delicate “Maria” or innocent “Dorothy.” Looking back, those comments seem particularly misguided, given the roles Buckley has since become known for – in films like Women Talking and Wild Rose, and the play Hamnet – and the grounded, natural quality she brings to each performance.

Buckley was understandably upset and confused at the time. She recently told British Vogue that the judges on I’d Do Anything were overly focused on her appearance and whether or not she seemed traditionally feminine. She explained, “I was still figuring out my body and who I was. It’s unfair that women are often judged on their looks instead of their talent.”

Throughout the competition, Buckley gained a reputation for being unpredictable. One week she’d wow the judges with a powerful performance, like her rendition of “The Man That Got Away,” and the next she’d be considered too sensitive for a particular role. Despite this, viewers consistently recognized Buckley’s talent, keeping her safe from elimination throughout the season. She ultimately reached the final round alongside Jodie Prenger, a 28-year-old performer from northern England.

As a huge fan of these kinds of shows, I remember the finale of Over the Rainbow so vividly! There was this amazing contestant, Prenger, who’d actually won The Biggest Loser in the UK – she just had this incredible stage presence, something the other finalist, Buckley, didn’t quite have. The judges were really divided about who should play Nancy, but Webber and Cameron Mackintosh were firmly in Buckley’s corner. So, when Norton announced Prenger as the winner, you could see Buckley was completely shocked! She was a good sport, forcing a smile and heading to her family, but Webber’s comment calling Prenger “the people’s Nancy” felt a little…pointed, honestly.

Buckley deserves praise for knowing what she didn’t want after appearing on I’d Do Anything. When offered the chance to understudy Prenger in Oliver!, she declined. Instead, she chose to perform in a revival of Stephen Sondheim’s A Little Night Music at a smaller theater. She then spent time as a jazz singer, which led her back to her original passion and a return to drama school. After focusing on one career path since 2008, she felt ready for a change, telling The Guardian in 2019 that she wanted to try something different.

Even people who didn’t watch I’d Do Anything likely know what happened next: she starred in successful BBC dramas, received BAFTA nominations for Beast and Wild Rose, appeared in films by acclaimed directors like Charlie Kaufman and Alex Garland, and won an Olivier Award for her performance as Sally Bowles alongside Eddie Redmayne. An Oscar for Hamnet would prove that the natural talent displayed on I’d Do Anything was real, and that everyone involved – including Buckley herself – was dedicated to developing it. She’d undoubtedly still be talented without an Oscar, but the journey from reality TV runner-up to potential Oscar winner is truly remarkable.

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2026-03-03 21:55