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The search is on to find Britain's Best Young Speaker. Comedienne Jo Brand, performance expert Jeremy Stockwell and ex-NBA basketball star and motivational speaker John Amaechi travel the UK to find the nation's most eloquent and inspiring teenagers in The Speaker, starting on ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Two on Tuesday 7 April 2009 at 8.00pm.

Fixing the spotlight on 14 to 18 year olds, this new, eight-part series sees tough-talking teens, class jokers and shy, sensitive types go head to head as they learn to talk publicly and passionately about the things that matter to them.

In The Speaker, 160 youngsters have been chosen from thousands of applicants and are put through their paces in front of judges Jo, Jeremy and John in four regional auditions. Only a select 20 will make it through to the next stage where they face a series of communication challenges set by a team of mentors.

The contestants that don't make the grade will be eliminated and, at the end of the series, the three best candidates will face a final showdown where they must make the speech of their lives.

"The Speaker is a fresh, 21st century take on the traditional public speaking competition," says Executive Producer Kieron Collins. "Our teens are a disparate, diverse group of youngsters but they are united by their desire to speak out on issues that matter most to them. Britain's youth often get a raw deal in the media but this show redresses the balance – giving British teenagers an opportunity to be heard."

Helping the finalists learn and rise to the challenges from week two of the series are a group of guest mentors who offer expert tutelage and inspiration to draw upon.

They are: Queen of the Dragons' Den, Deborah Meaden, who coaches the speakers in the art of Conviction; Earl Spencer, who invites the speakers to Althorp House where they explore how to deliver Information; journalist and broadcaster Kate Silverton, who coaches them in the nuances of Storytelling; and Tony Blair's former Director of Communications and speech writer Alastair Campbell, who demonstrates the subtleties of Persuasion.

"I think the key attributes for a good speaker are someone that's articulate and someone that puts a fair amount of humour into what they do," says Jo Brand.

Adds fellow judge Jeremy Stockwell: "What makes a good speaker is the ability to be confident and truthful within a stressful situation."

One-hundred-and-sixty teenagers from around the UK took up the challenge to prove to the judges that they could talk confidently on any subject – but only one will possess the passion, personality and conviction to become The Speaker...

The Speaker is produced by ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Entertainment Manchester. The Series Producer is Ian Carré and the Executive Producer is Kieron Collins.

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