News | Entertainment
12 Jan 2026 7:58
NZCity News
NZCity CalculatorReturn to NZCity

  • Start Page
  • Personalise
  • Sport
  • Weather
  • Finance
  • Shopping
  • Jobs
  • Horoscopes
  • Lotto Results
  • Photo Gallery
  • Site Gallery
  • TVNow
  • Dating
  • SearchNZ
  • NZSearch
  • Crime.co.nz
  • RugbyLeague
  • Make Home
  • About NZCity
  • Contact NZCity
  • Your Privacy
  • Advertising
  • Login
  • Join for Free

  •   Home > News > Entertainment

    Jessie Buckley "wasn't well" during her stint on Andrew Lloyd Webber's "bonkers" TV talent show I'd Do Anything

    The 36-year-old actress/singer launched her career in 2008 as a contestant on the reality show which was a competition to win the role of Nancy in a West End production of hit musical Oliver! and she finished in second place behind winner Jodie Prenger - and Jessie has now admitted she struggled during her time on TV.


    She told Vogue magazine: "It's bonkers, in hindsight. I was just likeL 'Oh my God. I get to peek behind this curtain already. I get to sing. I get to be part of this industry that I really was hoping I could be part of.'

    "And I look back at it and I feel like: 'God, you're so brave.' I don't know if I'd have that courage now. And I don't know if that was kind of innocence or ignorance."

    However, her mental health was suffering behind-the-scenes. She added: "[I] was not well fully. I was depressed and I - just wasn't well.

    "There was a lot that was really messed up."

    Jessie went on to reveal she particularly suffered from "a lot of body shaming" adding: "And bringing me to femininity school. And I was growing into my body.

    "I was 17. I was in a moment of discovery. As women, it's such unfair objectification ... Back then, I was just trying to move into a space of myself.

    "I really hope that a 15, 17, whatever-age woman never has to be brutalised quite like what happened on that show. But I didn't recognise it fully at the time. I just felt it, which was difficult."

    After coming second in the competition, she was offered the chance to be Prenger's understudy in Oliver! - and Jessie admits she turned the job down by walking into the office of famed theatre producer Cameron Mackintosh.

    She explained: "I walked to his office, rang the bell and saidL 'Is Cameron Mackintosh here? Thank you, but I won't be taking that job'."

    Jessie went on to book plenty of theatre work and later moved into TV and movies making her film debut in 2017 thriller Beast.

    © 2026 Bang Showbiz, NZCity

     Other Entertainment News
     12 Jan: Ali Wong and Bill Hader have split
     12 Jan: One Battle After Another leads the nominations for the Actor Awards
     12 Jan: Brigitte Bardot has been laid to rest
     11 Jan: Katie Leung found her Harry Potter fame "overwhelming" and "difficult"
     11 Jan: Julia Roberts is planning to reset her rider in 2026 after seeing George Clooney's new film Jay Kelly
     11 Jan: Donald Trump's wife "hates" his dancing
     11 Jan: Jesy Nelson doesn't think she will ever "accept" her twins' devastating health condition
     Top Stories

    RUGBY RUGBY
    New Zealand Giant Slalom skiing star Alice Robinson isn't switching focus despite surprise showings in a different discipline More...


    BUSINESS BUSINESS
    The Government hopes the roll-out of "open electricity" makes it easier for Kiwis to get cheaper power More...



     Today's News

    Entertainment:
    Jodie Foster finds working with female directors to be a "really amazing" experience 7:53

    Accident and Emergency:
    A weekend of people getting into trouble in the water has spurred renewed calls for caution 7:47

    Business:
    The Government hopes the roll-out of "open electricity" makes it easier for Kiwis to get cheaper power 7:37

    Accident and Emergency:
    There have still been no sightings of a man who went missing in the Waikato River over the weekend 7:27

    Entertainment:
    Ali Wong and Bill Hader have split 7:23

    Law and Order:
    Efforts to uncover how a racing greyhound became exposed to meth - have come up short 7:17

    Rugby League:
    Breakers guard Izaiah Brockington has confessed the team's inconsistency is a mystery after beating the Hawks 101-96 in Illawarra 7:07

    Entertainment:
    One Battle After Another leads the nominations for the Actor Awards 6:53

    Business:
    Grocery costs remained largely unchanged over the Christmas period 6:27

    Entertainment:
    Brigitte Bardot has been laid to rest 6:23


     News Search






    Power Search


    © 2026 New Zealand City Ltd