Kate and Gin

Infobox actor


imagesize =
caption =
birthname = Kate Nicholas
Gin
birthdate = Kate — 1991
Gin — 2001
birthplace = Norbury, Cheshire Flagicon|UK
yearsactive = 2008–present
occupation = Student

Kate and Gin are a musical canine freestyle act consisting of 16 year old student, Kate Nicholas, from Norbury, Cheshire and her dancing Border Collie, 6 year old Gin. [http://talent.itv.com/finalists/mondayFinalist2.asp Kate and Gin] . ITV. Retrieved on 2008-08-24.] The two achieved fame following their 2008 appearances on the second series of ITV 1 talent show, "Britain's Got Talent". Since the show, the duo have appeared publicly and published a book, "Kate and Gin", about dog training.

"Britain's Got Talent"

Kate and Gin first appeared on the second series of "Britain's Got Talent" on 12 April 2008 where they performed to Moby's remake of the James Bond theme tune, received "three yeses" by the judges (Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden and Piers Morgan) and were sent through to the semi-finals. Before the live shows, Cowell described the duo as the favourite to win.cite news |first= Neil|last= Midgley|title= Critic's choice - Britain’s Got Talent (ITV1)|url= http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?view=DETAILS&grid=A1YourView&xml=/arts/2008/05/27/nosplit/bvtv27critic.xml|publisher= "The Telegraph"|date= 2008-05-27|accessdate=2008-09-18] In the live semi-final, broadcast on 26 May 2008, Kate and Gin were again successful, performing a different routine to The Scissor Sisters' "I Don't Feel Like Dancin'" and finishing second behind dance group Signature. Before the final Kate and Gin where one of the five favourites to win "Britain's Got Talent". [cite news |first= Cher|last= Thornhill|title= Britain's Got Talent favourite Faryl drowns her sorrows at the after-show party... with a glass of coke|url= http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1023452/Britains-Got-Talent-favourite-Faryl-drowns-sorrows-party--glass-coke.html|publisher= "Daily Mail"|date= 2008-06-03|accessdate=2008-09-18 ] They again performed a routine to Moby's "James Bond Theme" in the show's final on 31 May 2008, but failed to make the final three. The competition was eventually won by George Sampson. [cite news |first= Chris|last= Hastings|title= 20 million tune in for talent show finals|url= http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/2060927/BBC%27s-I%27d-Do-Anything-and-ITV%27s-Britain%27s-Got-Talent-finals-draw-20m-viewers.html|publisher= "The Telegraph"|date= 2008-06-01|accessdate=2008-09-18 ] After the final, the duo performed with others from the show in the "Britain's Got Talent" Live Tour, again performing a routine to the Scissor Sisters' "I Don't Feel Like Dancing".

After the show

Hoping for a career in film, Kate and Gin signed with an agent after "Britain's Got Talent", leading to appearances at parties and premiers. They received many offers to perform at events and entered into talks about appearing on television adverts,cite news |title= Offers flooding in for Kate and Gin|url= http://www.shropshirestar.com/2008/06/20/offers-flooding-in-for-kate-and-gin/|publisher= "Shropshire Star"|date= 2008-06-20|accessdate=2008-09-17 ] including offers from Carlsberg for a "best kennel in the world" advertising campaign. [Nathan, Sara (2008-08-04). " [http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/tv/article1507834.ece Gin and beer] ", "The Sun". Retrieved on 2008-08-24] This led to appearances around England [cite news |title= Kate and Gin perform in Telford|url= http://www.shropshirestar.com/2008/08/28/kate-and-gin-perform-in-telford/|publisher= "Shropshire Star"|date= 2008-08-28|accessdate=2008-09-17 ] and in Wales. [cite news |first= David|last= Simister|title= Britain’s Got Talent star at Llyn Brenig show|url= http://www.yourvale.co.uk/news/vale-of-clwyd-news/2008/09/01/britain-s-got-talent-star-at-llyn-brenig-show-105722-21650006/|publisher= YourVale.co.uk|date= 2008-09-01|accessdate=2008-09-17 ] These have included public shows [cite news |title= Kate and Gin meet their fans|url= http://www.shropshirestar.com/2008/08/27/kate-and-gin-meet-their-fans/|publisher= "Shropshire Star"|date= 2008-08-27|accessdate=2008-09-17 ] and sponsored events. [cite news |first= Polly|last= Rippon|title= You can take a dog to water and you can get in the drink|url= http://www.sheffieldtelegraph.co.uk/news2/You-can-take-a-dog.4494226.jp|publisher= "Sheffield Telegraph"|date= 2008-09-16|accessdate=2008-09-17 ] On 6 October 2008, a book about the pair, entitled "Kate and Gin", was released by HarperCollins. [cite news |first= Andrew|last= Bownan|title= Kate and dancing dog Gin get book deal|url= http://iccheshireonline.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100regionalnews/tm_headline=kate-and-dancing-dog-gin-get-book-deal&method=full&objectid=21722757&siteid=50020-name_page.html|publisher= "Whitchurch Herald"|date= 2008-09-10|accessdate=2008-09-24 ] The book was described by Jenny Johnston, writing for the "Daily Mail", as "a 'how to doggy dance' manual, full of step-by-step pictures of how you too can teach your pooch to collect plastic toys in a laundry bin, or jump about the garden in time to Bon Jovi."cite news |first= Jenny|last= Johnston|title= Are the claws out for Gin? The dancing dog's life after Britain's Got Talent|url= http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1062909/Are-claws-Gin-The-dancing-dogs-life-Britains-Got-Talent.html|publisher= "Daily Mail"|date= 2008-09-27|accessdate=2008-09-28 ]

References

External links

*" [http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1022919/From-poison-posing-How-Britains-Got-Talents-dancing-dog-narrowly-escaped-death.html From poison to posing: How Britain's Got Talent's dancing dog narrowly escaped death] ". "Daily Mail" article.
*" [http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/tv/article1045203.ece Kate's bully hell] ". "The Sun" article.