* Update 191117: The winner, the judges agreed unanimously (true: Loving Dalston overhead their deliberations), was Jessica Odeleye, above, of Hackney

LONDON IS RICH in theatrical and musical talent especially, for some reason, the northeast part of this city. Or is that just the perception of an obviously biased website?

The challenge is to push that talent towards success by giving it a start. On Saturday 18 November 2017 you can help the process by making up part of the audience for Fiorentini’s Got Talent, a contest held by the Anna Fiorentini Theatre and Film School.

Students from Hackney, Tower Hamlets, Camden and Greenwich will perform to impress a panel of industry professionals. Previous winners include Jermain Jackman in 2012, who went on to win the English TV version of The Voice in 2014.

Ali Bastian, Becca in Channel 4’s Hollyoaks, and six other industry professionals will make up this year’s judging panel.

TV shows such as The Voice have boosted interest in talent contests — the Mayor’s Music Awards show, below, was held at the Hackney Empire earlier this month.

So if you missed that, head for Clapton on Saturday.

Hamish Scott 151117

* Fiorentini’s Got Talent will be staged at Clapton Girls’ Academy, Laura Place, Lower Clapton E5 0RB, on Sat 18 Nov 2017, 7pm-9pm, entrance £10 (profits to the Fiorentini Foundation). Fiorentini classes are held at the academy on Saturdays. Contact: 020 7682 1403 

* Backstory: Hackney teacher’s protégé set for stardom; Hackney wannabes  

* Main picture by Michael Bourke, others by david.altheer@gmail.com, apart from gospeller pic, supplied by Hackney council

* Emboldened underscored words in most cases indicate a hyperlink, a reader service rare among websites. If a link does not work, it is probably because the site to which the URL refers has not been maintained. 

* Council talent contest picture kindly supplied by the town hall. Others © david.altheer @ gmail,com