A judge on a new RTE talent show that will choose the lead in the Irish version of the musical Fame said he was "surprised and disappointed" at the level of performing talent in this country.

Robert C Kelly, a leading UK theatre producer, cast his eye over 3,000 hopefuls but said he was not blown away by the results, which will be aired tonight.

"While whittling down the number of contestants from a few thousand to just 12, I was surprised and disappointed. Surprised that we got so many applications, and disappointed that there was not that much in the way of phenomenal talent"

Kelly believes that considering the size of our population we should have a far higher standard of entertainers. "Because there are just over four million people in Ireland, the percentage of talented performers really should have been much higher."

Asked if any of the finalists displayed exceptional singing or dancing qualities, he said: "Each of the six boys and six girls who are competing from tonight onwards have an equal chance of winning. They are all as good as each other."

The final 12 contestants will fight for the lead role in the musical, which will open in the Grand Canal Theatre this summer.

"This is a massive opportunity for the contestants. They are effectively being handed a foothold into the performing world, and the winners will eventually do shows in front of thousands. Also, figures have proven that theatre numbers in­crease after shows like this, so it is beneficial for everyone," says Kelly.

Fellow judge, actor Simon Delaney, also said there were some auditions that wowed the judges for all the wrong reasons. "There were a few show-stoppers alright, and a few very interesting renditions of Fame itself."