Ben Forster says he celebrated his Superstar victory in Amanda Holden's dressing room. The stage school graduate enjoyed a glass of bubbly with the ITV1 show's host Amanda, judge Dawn French and fellow comic Jennifer Saunders to mark securing the role of Jesus. "I had a drink in Amanda Holden's dressing room with French and Saunders. It was fantastic," he said. Ben said his win had been 'a massive whirlwind', adding: "I literally still can't believe it. The last 10 days have been the most emotional and the most pressured I've ever felt in my life. Last night was the cherry on the cake." The 31-year-old, who starts rehearsals at the beginning of next month, before the musical goes on tour in September, featuring comic Tim Minchin as Judas Iscariot, DJ Chris Moyles as King Herod and Melanie C as Mary Magdalene, added: "I didn't expect it to happen. I just felt complete elation. I wanted to cry, weep... It's such an epic role, one of the biggest roles ever written for musical theatre." Ben, from Sunderland, said about working with big names: "It's very nerve-wracking. They're all successful people. They've all worked hard for a long time for their success. Mel C is so passionate about the show." Asked how he would play the role of Jesus, he added: "I want to put some of my sensibility into it." He said of his career up to now: "There have been hard times and good times... I had my first West End show at 18. I've done Greece, sung in pubs, and Thriller Live for five years." But he added: "I hope that my career takes a new turn now." Ben said he hadn't paid any attention to stories about ratings for the Andrew Lloyd Webber ITV1 show, adding: "I've been so wrapped up in it I've not read anything." Tickets can be bought at www.jesuschristsuperstar.com.
