Popstar To Operastar: Darius wins!

Darius Campbell has been crowned champion of ITV1's Popstar To Operastar, after beating Bernie Nolan in Friday's final.

The former Pop Idol finalist secured victory in the series, in which popstars were taught to perform operatic arias, following a closely-fought final which saw the two finalists perform three songs each.

Both Campbell and Nolan sang their favourite song from the series as well as performing a duet with one of their opera-singing judges.

Campbell chose to reprise Non Piu Andrai, from The Marriage Of Figaro, as well as teaming up with tenor Rolando Villazon on the Man Of La Mancha Classic The Impossible Dream.

The 29-year-old was warmly praised by the judges for his efforts. "It was a very cheeky, very sexy Darius performance," Lawrence Llewellyn-Bowen said of his Marriage Of Figaro aria.

He said after the duet that it had been "an honour to perform here in front of my family," and described it as "a dream come true".

Bernie Nolan's performances, meanwhile, included teaming up with Katherine Jenkins on the West Side Story song Somewhere, while her interpretation of the Delibes' classic Les Filles De Cadix also impressed Llewellyn-Bowen. "You are making opera the new rock n'roll," he told her.

Katherine Jenkins agreed. "Every time you sing, you make me smile and I'm sure your mum is smiling down on you too," she said.

As a finale to the show, Campbell and Nolan performed together, along with Jenkins and Villazon.

Afterwards a visibly shocked Darius celebrated his victory by performing once again, while Nolan - who had been the bookies' favourite to win - remained gracious in defeat.

"Thanks to everybody who's work on the show," she said, "It was an absolute ball, a privilege."

Campbell and Nolan fought off competition from six other celebrities to reach the final, including Blur's Alex James, The Saturdays' Vanessa White, 70s chart-topper Jimmy Osmond and McFly singer Danny Jones.

Coronation Street star Kym Marsh and former Shakespear's Sister singer Marcella Detroit missed out on the final after being voted out on last Friday's show.