Bounding on stage and delivering a frankly bloodless version of The Rolling Stones’ Paint It Black, Lee Mead proved beyond all doubt that being a star of musical theatre does not necessarily crank up the rock and roll credentials.

Mead, who romped to victory in TV’s Any Dream Will Do, was undoubtedly a fine choice for the title role in the smash hit West End production of Joseph.

He’s also proved his worth in London’s latest box office hit Wicked.

But this concert tour has a touch of the Denis Waterman’s about it. Engaging, talented and likeable he may be but Mead clearly wants to extend his career in a direction it doesn’t necessarily need to go.

So it was that alongside wonderful versions of his West End triumphs, the audience at Southampton were treated to Mead’s readings of numbers by, among others, The Beatles, The Stones, U2,Take That and The Monkees.

And though he could do no wrong as far as his adoring and mainly female fans were concerned - they sang along word perfect - the simple truth was that he didn’t improve on any of the originals.

With support from Niamh Perry, the Irish singer and actress who lost out to Jodie Prenger in I'd Do Anything – Andrew Lloyd Webber’s TV search for a new Nancy in Oliver!, he showed that his true talent lies in the world of the musical. His delivery of numbers like Close Every Door and the inevitable Any Dream Will Do were charged with real vitality and emotion.

He may have been likened to a young Michael Ball by the BBC but everything else, while rather nice, was sadly second rate in comparison.