IUSED to think reality TV shows were a waste of time and money.

Who would be interested in watching a bunch of people doing nothing for hours on end? I have not changed my mind, but now the TV people have gone too far.

Hell's Kitchen, Big Brother and as soon as one ends another begins. From members of the public to third-rate celebrities it seems everyone is getting in on the act.

And then just when I had given up hope, they decide to throw Bollywood Star at me.

For those not in the know, it's Pop Idol but with contestants having to dance and act their way to the top. The winner gets to star in a Bollywood film.

A pretty daft idea I thought and nobody's going to want to enter that. Who would want to make dozens of films a year and get paid peanuts for it?

Maybe I'd been watching too many BBC documentaries or thought only Hollywood folk got the big bucks.

I was trying to avoid watching the programme thinking it was going to be another waste of an hour. And, after all, I could spend that hour reading an election leaflet.

But, as always, curiosity got the better of me. In the first programme we were introduced to the set of judges - and one thing struck me. Sophiya Haque, the Bombay Dreams' actress to be precise. She was a matchstick, complete with a red head and from the start seemed less talented than most of the contestants.

Strangely I continued watching in case I recognised an old friend.

I understand Bollywood films have got pretty popular over the years but how much so I hadn't a clue.

Among the contestants were people of all backgrounds and amusingly some non-Asian people dancing to Bollywood tunes were better than many Asians.

None more so than the lady from Liverpool who was truly a Bollywood star in the making and made it through to the next round.

The only problem was she couldn't speak any Hindi. "I'll learn it in couple of weeks." she exclaimed.

Such confidence was refreshing.

Finding an excuse for one's failure is probably the most difficult thing to do. I blame my lack of talent on a bad education system. No institutional racism. In fact it was bad marking at the far post. In all honesty, I'm not good at anything.

The contestants moaned as they do on Pop Idol but it was also noticeable to see some 'unlucky' contestants walk out and try to find an excuse for failure.

One woman seemed to have already made her mind up as she strolled away from the judges. "They're just a bunch of stuck up Indians!"