I vividly remember being on vacation with my extended family: children, grandchildren, parents, and sisters, in Napa, California. I made them watch the ADWD finale (which was airing on BBC America TWO YEARS after it was live in the UK). When Graham Norton finally said "LEE!!!" I jumped up and ran around the room shouting "Lee won! Lee won!" lol It was crazy, but I loved him from the beginning and just knew he was right for the role of Joseph.

Little did I know the craziness was just beginning . . .

So, how about you? Was it love at first sight for you? Or did it take a little time for him to grow on you?

I know experiences have been shared here before but it's fun to remember our first taste of Mead, isn't it? Please share.

About two years before ADWD I went to see Ramin Karimloo in Miss Saigon in Edinburgh. Before curtain up the announcement was made that Ramin's place would be taken by Lee Mead. The audience groaned and I felt so sorry for this understudy who would have heard the reaction. Lee played the part really well and got huge applause at the end. I thought 'this lad will go far', but did not hear of him again until......
After about three weeks of ADWD he was my winner but it was a while before I connected the two. The rest, as they say, is history.

Oh, Liz! I am so jealous. Why, oh why was I born on the wrong side of the planet????

I noticed Lee from the start and he was my first choice right from the very beginning, however I was also watching ITV's rival show Grease is the Word and championing Michael Quinn, who joined the cast of Joseph later in its run (For people who may have come to find Lee later in his career) After a few episodes of channel hopping I decided that I was better served watching Grease and taping ADWD as then I was able to watch and rewind..and rewind...and...rewind....lol Even though I was ecstatic that Lee won and had full intention of going as soon as I was able to get a ticket I was still not obsessed with the man.....shock horror!!! I didn't manage to see him in Joseph until the November of the same year and then Boom!! the damage was done and the rest my friend is history. Many Lee shows and friends made later I am still here, I dont post much now but I do still follow Lee and I can't wait for tomorrow night.

Nothing like seeing the man in his loincloth glory . . .



Or so I've heard.

Well I know I have told my sorry tale a few times before as well
But here goes. because we had watched the last few shows of the Maria prog (which my OH really enjoyed) when he saw ADWD advertised he got very excited
(he loves Joseph & I didn't)
Anyway he started watching it & he picked Lee out as a winner.
I thought he looked cute, Then the first live show "mac the knife" I turned to OH & said "he's a cocky sod" I didn't even bother watching 2nd week #bigmistake but 3rd week seeing Lee it hit me like a brick & I was hooked.
Then my first Joseph was the matinee Sept 19th 2007. I went on my own & I was breahless as he descended from the clouds. I new he could sing but I was surprised by his comic timing & brilliant acting.
He really is the full package

I did not know anything about Lee before the competition on TV. He struck me as the most handsome and what a beautiful voice then what a wonderful personality when he was interviewed. Fell hook line and sinker and am still in a messy puddle on the floor now!

Joan, I love your story no matter how many times I hear it.

Your poor OH probably had no idea what he was letting himself in for . . .

Sue, you have plenty of company in that puddle.

I started watching ADWD with a mixture of curiosity and trepidation. Would it be as good as 'How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?', which had aired the previous year? No...it was better!

I think 'I Don't Wanna Talk About It' was the moment that hooked me - his acting in that song is sublime! Then he really showed that he was in a different league with 'Paint It Black'!

I was exactly the same as Sue never heard of Lee and I was actually watching Grease but for some reason changed over to ADWD and when I caught a glimpse of Lee with his beautiful curls couldn't stop looking at him loved his voice and that was it really in the group numbers always picked him out and when he won couldn't wait to see him in Joseph managed to see him Dec 2007 and went quite a few times managed to speak to him in the scrum and got his autograph and just fell in love with the guy

My introduction to Lee was much the same as everyone else's. I'd watched the Maria programme and enjoyed it, and looked forward to the Joseph one starting. Little did I know how my life was about to change. I don't remember too much of the early programmes (in fact I missed a couple), but watched all the lives ones. I'm a sucker for long, dark hair, so Lee had a "head" start straight away, as it were, and I remember saying to OH after Mack the Knife, "there's the winner!" But Paint It Black was the one that really did it for me - wow! I was just speechless after that.

When I was in my late teens/early twenties I lived and worked in London and used to go to the theatre quite often. However, when I got married, moved away from the city and mortgage and kids came along, plus OH not really interested in theatre, I stopped going. When Lee won ADWD, it was the end of my drought, as I just had to see him! I remember clearly, standing in the Dress Circle Bar at the Adelphi, on my own, G&T in hand, texting OH and saying "I'm so excited!" Two moments stood out from that show - my first sight of Lee, floating down, all in white, and at the end, with him on the cherry picker rising right up to my level - the cost of the ticket was worth it for that moment alone! I've been Meadmushed ever since!

I watched some of ADWD on BBC1, but I was also watching Grease is the Word on ITV, so I did not get any continuity with watching Lee much at all. At one point I thought he came across a bit arrogant. Later on I found myself thinking Lee was rather nice and I did not think anyone else should win. I then saw him as Joseph and thought he was brilliant in his singing and acting, and I really loved it. When he came out of the front of the Adelphi, the moment I set my eyes on him, I was completely stunned by his face. I found myself thinking, "Wow, he's not just handsome, he's beautiful". It was just like love at first sight, and I felt on Cloud 11. The whole of the way home, I kept saying to myself, "He's so gorgeous". I then looked on the internet about him and found fans who were feeling the same way about him. I have been totally besotted with him ever since. He has been my favourite singer since then, as I think he has such a beautiful singing voice, but I also like to see him act too. I have never ever been such a big fan of anyone before as I am of Lee. I am so thrilled that I have met my hero so many times, and am proud to be one of his devoted fans. He is such a likeable and loveable guy too.

I never normally watched any reality show but chanced to see ADWD one evening half way through and picked Lee out very quickly. As a massive musical theatre fan I had no doubts about his ability - not to mention the endearing way he interacted with the female performers he was singing to and the tone of his voice (which still gets to me every time). Geoff & I watched the final, with me voting like mad and when he sang "New York"etc we watched the exchange of glances between ALW & DVO and waited with bated breath for the result. I was concerned that the huge Scottish vote would cheat him of the win.
I was told by Ingrid that there was a competition for tickets to attend the first night and for the first time in my life I went on line to apply. When the phonecall came I thought it was a joke and insisted on having a number to ring to ensure that the call was genuine. I think the chap at the other end was amazed.

Geoff & i went to the first night and took loads of photos of all the celebrities but not of Lee that night. Many of you know that there was a technical break during that performance and I was in a panic in case the performance had to be cancelled.

I saw the show 9 times after that including all the supposed last nights and joined that family of Lee Mead fans that I have remained a part of ever since. Teasing from my son and various friends I have withstood because watching Lee is a magical experience. I am having further surgery this month providing that there is a bed available but all being well I shall do my best to get to a concert even though they are all quite far away.

Love this!

Johartuk - I also was impressed iwth his "I Don't Wanna Talk About It" - but who am I kidding? I loved everything he did.

Acer - Those curls!!!!

Another Liz - Interesting. I had the same experience with MT - loved it but kind of got away from it while bearing and raising kids, although I did get to a few things along the way. Lee has rekindled that love and, fortunately, we get some really good shows here in L.A. And I love seeing a show in the West End whenever I make it to London - even if Lee is not in it.

Jan2 - It was love at first sight for many of us.

Vicki S - How lucky you were to score those tickets!!! I agree with you about his partnering of the girls in ADWD. I've often said that they were not "props" to him (as they seemed to be to the other boys) but truly part of the story he was telling with that particular song. He does that with every partner he has onstage - male or female - it's a collaboration, not all about him. That impresses me so much.

Thank you all so much - I love reading about our shared Meady-love. XO Lin

ALiz snap. When me & my OH first got together we went to lots of WE shows.
We even saw Matador which I think was john Barrowmans very first west end role.
But like you mortgage work etc got in the way & we stopped going (Until Lee)
Then my life really changed for the better

Jo it was “I don’t wana talk about it” that first blew me away as well.
But PiB was off the scale amazing

Vicki how wonderful that you won those tickets.
I can’t think of anything better to win.

Just want to add a couple of other bit’s
Just before Lee sang Devil in disguise the camera was on him waiting to come on & he did that thing lifting his eyebrows. OMG I melted right there & then

I saw Matador - fab musical! I'd love to see Lee in a revival!

Mmmm Lee dressed as a Matador.
Now there's a lovely thought.

I'd never watched the Maria programme but at a family get together I heard my sister talking about a programme where at the end the person voted off had their coat taken off them. She felt so bad about this she said she couldn't watch any more. I must admit I thought it sounded funny so gave it a try. The first one I watched was Lee singing "I don't want to talk about it" and I was hooked and made my OH watch it every week (not his cup of tea). Lee was head and shoulders above the rest, his voice and acting ability shone through and I remember spending a fortune voting for him in the final.

My OH is not interested in musical theatre but I was really lucky that my son was willing to come with me. I managed to get tickets for a week or so after Joseph opened and loved it, it was my first musical. I managed to go twice more and on the last occasion got front row seats! The family accept my Lee obsession albeit thinking I'm mad but they do let me know if they hear anything about him I might have missed. After a quiet spell last year its fantastic to see Lee's career taking off so well and so deserved.

Well I live in New Zealand so was a year or three behind all of you! Maria came on the Sky UK channel and I watched, it was about half way through. I enjoyed that and when they advertised ADWD, I thought, oh well I'll see what it's like! Lee was ahead from the start for me, his charisma on the stage was so good. He sang to the audience there, he owned the stage. he sang to us watching on TV. The rest is history. :-) I had to find out who this guy was. Found I was about three years behind!!! Found LMAS and stayed for ever! LOL Lee continues to grow and stay wonderfully normal at the same time. He seems ageless and is the most beautiful man I have known. I'm in for the long haul. I have been very lucky to come to UK and see Lee in his concerts in 2012. Phenomenal experience and wonderful friends made. Thank you. :-)