The rejection by the People of Britain of Rhuthun/Ruthin's Joe Woolford during Saturday's live public vote on the BBC TV semi-final of The Voice* does not appear to have done the lad any harm at all. Quite the reverse.
As all the "Vote for Woolford" posters disappeared from Rhuthun faster than snow in May, the news is that later this very morning Woolford will soon step back into the limelight.
Having come to the attention of Simon Cowell, Woolford is about to resign as a physical education teaching assistant at Ysgol Brynhyfryd to concentrate full time on singing. He will be joining none other than a successful Boy Band by the name of One Direction. Woolford is to replace Zyan Malik, who left 1D exactly a week ago. Previously, 1D had said it would continue as a quartet without fifth boy Malik.
Pop aficionados will know that 1D is probably the decade's highest achieving musical act. Woolford's success is now guaranteed.
Woolford is therefore about to be propelled to the very top of our popular music charts. His rise on The Voice was likened to putting Rhuthun On The Map. In spite (or because) of his failure, he may yet have a chance to do so, after all. Not that anyone outside the town ever associates Rhys Ifans with Rhuthun—although the Welsh speaking community is more inclined to remember that Rhys Meirion is connected with our town.
Speaking earlier this week with a school contemporary of Woolford's, rather cryptically, it's hard to tell whether as a pupil of Brynhyfryd Woolford shaped the school ethos or the school in its declining years shaped him. Whatever the answer, Woolford will now immediately be propelled to stardom well beyond his dreams and he will suddenly have to handle fame and presumably fortune.
On Saturday, as The Voice concludes without Woolford, remember that 1D only came third on another popular TV talent show
Opportunity Knocks The X-Factor. You don't have to be top of the pops to be Top of the Pops. WWWW: we wish Woolford well.
Getting in on the act including Tommy's and supported by Tesco's
*—The Voice is a populist reality talent show on BBC television (in case you didn't know).
