Matt For It: Jesus Christ, It's Jesus Christ!

TELEVISION bosses have unveiled plans for a brand-new reality TV show, where a panel of judges will scour the country to find the next Jesus Christ.

Search For A Saviour will begin airing this summer on ITV1, and has the hopes of the network riding upon it.

"The recent glut of reality shows searching for new leads in West End musicals, such as How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria, Grease Is The Word and Any Dream Will Do have proven to be ratings winners. By delivering the ultimate reality show, wherein we try to find the next Jesus Christ, we are confident we will finally win the Saturday night ratings war," an ITV spokeswoman told Matt For It.

Jesus...Christ

Search For A Savior will feature thousands of hopeful, would-be Messiahs auditioning in front of a tough panel, where they must demonstrate their proficiency in parable telling, performing miracles and being holy. The lucky few who get past the initial stage will then proceed to a Christ Boot Camp, where they will hone their skills before the final test: a live crucifixion in front of a studio audience. The person who resurrects themselves first, thus demonstrating their power over life and death and ability to thereby grant eternal life to all those who follow His teachings, will be declared the winner and will receive ten thousand pounds, a contract with God Almighty and a framed certificate.

The panel of judges will include the current head of the Catholic Church, Pope Benedict XVI, the Archbishop of Canterbury, religious scholar Elaine Pagels and pop impresario Louis Walsh.

- Matt X