Jessica Robinson nominated for Community Champion Award!

Source: gazettelive.co.uk

Amazing for Jess! :D

SHE might not have quite made it over the rainbow but Teesside singing starlet Jessica Robinson has certainly put our region and its talent on the map.


The teenager sang loud and proud about Teesside while competing on BBC Show Over the Rainbow.

And despite finishing fifth in the programme her former dance teacher believes Jessica is still a champion.

So she has nominated the Normanby teenager as a Champion Ambassador in the Gazette Community Champions awards.

“It’s amazing to be nominated,” Jessica, 18, said.

“I’m definitely proud of where I come from and I couldn’t have got where I am today without the support of the area.

“The community on Teesside is great and everybody has always been very supportive towards me.

Jessica reached the final five of hit BBC show Over the Rainbow earlier this year.

The talent show was held to cast the part of Dorothy in musical mogul Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Wizard of Oz musical.

It meant that each week Jessica had to perform in front of a panel of judges including Lord Webber and singing star Charlotte Church, and millions of viewers back home.

Since the programme ended Jessica has gone onto win a scholarship at the prestigious Arts Educational Schools London, in Chiswick.

“I loved the whole experience of being on the show and am enjoying being down here. But I do miss home a bit too.”

Jessica’s former dance teacher Samantha Moore, who nominated the teenager for her award, said the talented teenager had always been destined for big things.

“She was a very good student,” Samantha, who runs the Samantha Moore Performing Arts Academy, said.

“She did a great job promoting Teesside. I think she has really put us on the map and shown that we have some great talent in this area of the country.”

Deadline for entries has now closed.

Jessica now has her own blog!

Hey everyone, some great news our lovely Jessica Robinson recently started blogging! We can now keep up to date with how Jess is getting on at Arts Ed etc - awesome! You can view Jessica's blog by clicking HERE

Jx

Jess has answered some questions on our forum!

Hey everyone, Jess kindly came on the Jessica Robinson Fan Forum the other night and answered nearly 35 questions for us - how sweet is she?! She actually spent about 2 hours answering them all. Amazing.

You can read them on the forum in the 'Ask Jess' section but you have got to be registered to view the 'Answered Questions' section.

READ THEM ON HERE

Jx

Red carpet for Jessica Robinson at The Mall

SHOPPERS could be forgiven for thinking that reality TV star Jessica Robinson had swapped her dreams for stardom for a job in a fashion store.

The 18-year-old singer from Normanby got behind the till at Top Shop in The Mall in Middlesbrough.

But Jessica admits that although she loves shopping she has no plans for a life in retail.

It was all part of a whistle-stop tour of venues across the town in recognition of her efforts in putting Middlesbrough on the map.

The teenage star of BBC’s Over the Rainbow show was being given the red carpet treatment by the lovemiddlesbrough campaign.

After enjoying lunch at the Thistle Hotel, she visited the Pandora jewellery shop in Captain Cook Square and Top Shop in The Mall.

While she was in Top Shop one shopper who recognised her remarked that she didn’t know Jessica was working there.

She hasn’t got a job there but told the Gazette: “It would be lovely. I spend half my life in here.

“I love shopping. It is one of my biggest hobbies.”

Brand manager Sophie Jobson-Bell joked: “As soon as there is a job at Top Shop we will give her a ring.”

Then it was off to Middlesbrough College to meet assistant principal Martin Peagam, who presented Jessica with a goody bag.

The last leg of her tour took her to Middlesbrough FC’s Riverside Stadium, where she was presented with a signed Boro shirt and the promise of a dedicated brick on the Boro Brick Road.

Claire Wordsworth, lovemiddlesbrough campaign manager said: “We’re truly lucky in Middlesbrough to have some fantastically talented and enthusiastic people who love telling the world how great their home town is.

“Jessica’s certainly done that, and this is an opportunity for the town’s ambassadors to say a big thank you.”

Captain Cook Square general manager Lynn Stainsby said: “I watched Over the Rainbow and thought she did a brilliant job to get as far as she did in such a major competition.”

Jessica said she was currently spending some time out with friends and family on Teesside.

She also took to the stage at Middlesbrough Music Live on Sunday with local favourites The Wildcats of Kilkenny for a Pogues-inspired show.

She is due to go to stage school in London in September.

Jessica said: “I got that off my own bat. I really worked my socks off.

“I didn’t get a place there because of the show, I got there on my own.”