That is the question on every Brummie’s lips following Sunday’s nail-biting instalment of The Voice which saw Birmingham’s own Zoe Hedge and Ebony Wilson battle through to the live knockout stages of the hit ITV talent show after beating off stiff competition from fellow brummie Rhyann Thomas.

After striking up a friendship on their first day at Birmingham School of Acting back in 2014, Brummie super-group, Capital B, first caught the ear of musical legend and mentor Sir Tom Jones with their gospel rendition of Lauryn Hill’s ‘His Eye On The Sparrow’. Since then, life for Ebony and Zoe has shown no signs of slowing down…

No stranger to putting on a show, when she’s not splitting her time between study and TV stardom, Zoe can be found soaking up the limelight at Birmingham Hippodrome theatre, where she works as an Front of House Assistant. With the tension mounting ahead of this weekend’s live knockouts, we caught up Zoe Hedges (21) to talk team tactics with mentor Tom Jones and to find out more about her new life in the spotlight!

How long have you been working at Birmingham?

I’ve been working here since 2014 as a Front of House Assistant, which was when I started studying at Birmingham School of Acting. I’ve always loved theatre for as long as I can remember and have wanted to be a singer since I was a child so it’s a natural fit for me! It’s a fantastic place to work. Everyone’s really lovely and I’ve made lots of friends here over that last three years.

How are you coping with life in the limelight? Have your colleagues been supportive?

It’s really surreal. Particularly when I get recognized by customers on my shift. My colleagues at work think it’s hilarious and are always having a laugh at my expense. It feels very strange to be treated like a star. It’s the same when I visit my family in Bishopsgate. It feels like the whole town is talking about it! The support has been incredible.

What do you love most about working in the theatre?

Well – you get to see some incredible shows, obviously. But apart from that, the best thing about working here is the people. The Hippodrome Team is like one big family. It’s such a joy to be part of and so much fun!

What shows are you most looking forward to seeing at Birmingham Hippodrome in 2017 and could you ever see yourself starring in a musical?

I’m a big musicals fan so I would have to say Billy Elliot the Musical and Funny Girl with Sheridan Smith. I’m bringing the entire family along to Funny Girl in May which will be a lot of fun. It’s something I’d love to get into so who knows! If the opportunity came up…never say never!

What’s it like working with Tom Jones?

Tom is amazing to work with. We couldn’t ask for more. He’s really down-to-earth and incredibly funny and an absolute legend in musical terms. He really gets our style of performance and he says all the right things. His knowledge of the industry is also incredible …plus he smells REALLY good!

What made you want to audition for The Voice?

I’m not entirely sure where the idea came from originally. I’d been singing in my bedroom for ages and thought, why not! It was a huge shock to make it through the first round and now that we’re through to the knock-out stages, it feels incredibly real. Sharing the whole experience with Ebony has made it extra special and there’s nothing like the buzz of performing with a live band behind us week on week.

Who, out of all of the acts involved, would you say is your biggest competition?

That’s a tough question. I’d say our biggest competition is probably, Into The Ark. They’re also a duo but in terms of style, we’re incredibly different. It’s tough as we’re all incredibly close and spend a lot of time together between shows. No one wants anyone to go but it’s a competition and the end of the day and someone has to win it!