'The British public does not get it wrong': Andrew Lloyd Webber on talent shows, Chris Moyles' hidden skills and his relationship with Tim Rice

'The British public does not get it wrong': Andrew Lloyd Webber on talent shows, Chris Moyles' hidden skills and his relationship with Tim Rice

Over the decades they’ve enjoyed one of the most successful â€" and lucrative â€" musical partnerships.

But Andrew Lloyd ­Webber and Sir Tim Rice are poles apart when it comes to reality TV.

While “the Lord”, as Graham Norton used to call him, has gained a new generation of fans starring in a string of shows searching for West End stars, Sir Tim has damned the whole genre as “down-market”.

And he’s been quick to criticise Lord ­Lloyd-Webber’s decision to begin a TV hunt for a star of a 2012 production of hit musical Jesus Christ Superstar, which was created by the talented pair more than 40 years ago.

Sir Tim recently blasted: “I said that I don’t want this done, but now it appears it’s been signed and sealed.

"I don’t think Superstar needs that tasteless reality TV treatment. Those shows are relentlessly down-market.”

But with TV hits such as Any Dream Will Do and Over the Rainbow, which discovered Lee Mead and Danielle Hope respectively, ­under his belt, Lord Lloyd-Webber is adamant such shows are more than worthwhile.

He says: “Tim may have a view about whether casting on TV works but I can ­counter with the fact that I have six artists in the West End, in shows that are nothing to do with me, who have been in my TV shows.

“A girl called Sam Barks is starring opposite Hugh Jackman in the film of Les Miserables and she came third in I’d Do Anything.

“I think if you look at the statistics, even Tim would agree it is pretty extraordinary.”

Leading lady: Samantha Barks stars in the Les Miserables with Hugh Jackman

Lord Lloyd-Webber is cautious about ­discussing his differences with his old friend, and says: “I have never discussed that in ­public and I’m not going to.

"But, let’s put it this way, when Jesus Christ Superstar opened on Broadway a few weeks ago, we were both on stage together. I think you can put all of that past us.

“I think everything is sorted out between us, otherwise we wouldn’t be doing the show.”

The arena tour of the new ­musical will star Spice Girl Mel C as Mary Magdalene and Tim Minchin as Judas Iscariot, as well as the yet-to-be discovered Jesus.

< p>Eyebrows were raised when loudmouth Radio One breakfast DJ Chris Moyles was cast as King Herod. But Lord Lloyd-Webber is confident the casting is not an act of madness.

He says: “King Herod is a ­wonderful, small, but very ­important role. I have seen Chris Moyles sing and I have seen him being a fantastic entertainer.

"And I have often said to him, ‘why don’t you do something live’?

“I think you will find he surprises everybody. He won’t be playing Chris Moyles â€" he will be Herod and when you see him you might change your mind.

"He has got a real sense of humour and you will find it really works. I ­certainly wouldn’t have got involved with casting him if I hadn’t heard him.

“But the real big role is Jesus and so it is about finding the right Jesus on the TV shows â€" that’s going to be the defining moment.”

And the search for Jesus could be controversial, as the eight contestants do not all ­match the tradit ional ­image of a white, ­bearded man with long flowing hair.

Lord Lloyd-Webber says: “We don’t have a Jesus who looks like he is on a stained glass window.

"They are all really talented but very ­interesting performers from all races and backgrounds.

“It will be interesting to find out who the public thinks should play that role. We have got to cast ­somebody who can act and have fantastic charisma as Jesus.

"And, so far, frankly, the ­British public has not got it wrong.”

Winner: Lee Mead

Lord Lloyd-Webber, who turned 64 in March, has become an unlikely television star in an age obsessed with youth and beauty.

He credits his talent-hunting rival Simon Cowell with helping him to get on screen in the first place.

He says: “Simon makes the most fantastic television programmes and that’s what it’s about.

“If you look at the discovery of artists, he too has found some very, very good people and we are talking about in America as well.

"He is a terrific talent and has done an ­incredible amount to open up the possibility of these shows for other people.

“I wonder whether or not I would ever have been allowed on air six years ago if ­Simon hadn’t paved the way.”

And Lord Lloyd-Webber shows little sign of slowing down. Three years ago, a routine check-up revealed he was in the early stages of prostate cancer.

A lesser man would have crumpled at the news but he charged at it head first. He talks of having his prostate ­removed as if it was a minor inconvenience.

And it made him love life and his work even more than he did before. He says: “Cancer didn’t really change my outlook on life.

“It makes one realise, I’m lucky to enjoy what I do so much and it really made me feel I should carry on doing what I do and ­celebrate it.

“I love the thing that I do. The cancer has gone and I am jolly lucky.

“It happened so quickly that I had to make a ­decision whether or not to have it sorted out immediately.

“I suppose looking back at it I might have taken more time to get ­alternative opinions but I think I would have ended up with the same ­decision.

"I thought ‘oh ­goodness, I have got three months when I am not actually doing that much so why don’t I just get it done?’ I was lucky, it was caught very, very early.”

Talent: Danielle Hope wins Over The Rainbow

Lord Lloyd-Webber’s latest collaboration is with Gary Barlow, the biggest star of Cowell’s The X Factor.

And another global superstar who’s been around longer than the pair of them put ­together was also involved.

The Queen played pop promoter by uniting the ­composer behind Cats and Evita and the Take That star.

And Her Majesty helped them to write a pop song to celebrate 60 years on the throne.

“She was quite involved in what the lyrics would say,” says Lord Lloyd-Webber.

“The Queen never tells you to do anything, she advises. The one thing we knew she ­wanted was something that celebrated the Commonwealth.

"It was a pretty obvious place to start because the Queen has done an ­incredible job in holding together the ­Commonwealth over the past 60 years. That’s where Gary and I started.

“She saw the lyric and was very pleased â€" and we are happy that she is. But I don’t think she would want a credit on the s ong.”

Their Diamond Jubilee song, called Sing, will be performed during the majestic concert in front of Buckingham Palace, live on BBC1, on Monday.

Awards: Andrew with Tim Rice in 1972

And Lord Lloyd-Webber says when the call for his services came from the Palace, it was an offer he could not refuse.

He says: “The Queen has seen my musicals and many years ago Edward used to work for my company. So I have known her over the years quite a bit.

“I was originally asked to write something for the flotilla but I must say the idea of ­doing a song on a moving boat wasn’t ­immediately a great idea.

“But it was a great experience writing with Gary. He is huge fun â€" we laughed and laughed.

"When we first met we were like two schoolboys on the first day of term.

“There was that initial m oment where I was quite frightened of him and he was quite frightened of me, but we hit it off and wrote the song relatively quickly.

“Gary is an excellent ­songwriter, a superb melodist. I really like him.

“The afternoon we wrote the song was one of the most amusing afternoons I’ve ever had. This is a song of celebration and joy.”

Lord Lloyd-Webber has fond ­memories of the Queen’s Coronation back in 1952.

He was four years old, living in the heart of London with his composer father and violinist mother when the whole of the city became engulfed in red, white and blue.

He says: “We used to live in a flat above the station at South Kensington and go and play in Hyde Park.

"I remember saying to my mum, ‘why are they putting up stands where we played’? and she said it was something to do with the Queen.

“She said we would go there and see the Queen go by but I remember being upset that my bit of the park had been ­ covered over.”

SING, BY GARY BARLOW AND THE ­COMMONWEALTH BAND, FEATURING ­MILITARY WIVES, IS ON SALE NOW.