Webber hits out at Spacey criticism

Andrew Lloyd Webber has responded to Kevin Spacey's criticisms of I'd Do Anything and similar reality TV shows.

Spacey blasted the BBC for heavily promoting certain mainstream West End musicals with talent contests. The actor claimed a generation of theatre-goers were in danger of being lost to TV.

Webber said he likes working on the shows to help young performers rather than to create publicity for productions.

He told the Daily Express: "I don't need to do television, I don't need to be on TV on a Saturday night - I enjoy it because I love helping these performers.

"When I went to the BBC with the idea of doing The Sound Of Music, firstly it wasn't my musical and, secondly, to do the show we knew we had to have a £4 million production which we were going to take a huge risk over.

"At the end of the day all I can do is try to convey my passion for theatre and musical theatre in the best way I can."