Delight and disapproval: both greeted the arrival of the second Fame Academy show at Wittenhurst in Highgate at the top of Highgate West Hill

It is an amazing and huge house which is locked behind high walls and gates. Growing up as a child in Highgate, I always wondered who lived there. No one lives there now – and suddenly the precious peace and tranquillity of Highgate Village has been broken by the arrival, once again, of this phenomenally successful TV show.

As with any event that attracts people to it – be it Kenwood, Wimbledon or Fame Academy – there are issues for local residents. Parking, noise, disruption – not to mention in Fame Academy’s case, planning permission for this usage.

These are real issues – and the show needs to make sure it does behave itself if it wants to come back annually. The good news is that the village shopkeepers appear to be benefiting from the passing trade from the crew and others now based for the duration in Highgate.

That aside – I love Fame Academy. I’d like to pretend that I only watch it because my children make me, but to be truthful I am fan. I am hooked. Perhaps it’s because it stirs long ago forgotten desires to be a singer (never a possibility given my voice – so appalling that my kids used to beg me not to sing them to sleep) and a frustrated desire to be on the stage.

And the thrill and hope that out of this modern version of a talent show, we – the viewers – will see the birth of a truly great talent and have a voice through our public vote in having determined their success.

We watch their highs and lows – Louise who weeps because she keeps failing to get the public vote (although her face was a study when she finally did last Saturday), Barry who weeps because he has an identity crisis and can’t find the ‘Barryness of Barry’, the vaunting self-confidence of one of the boys still in there – whose talent is limited but whom the public vote keeps in – the breathtaking, angst ridden, mesmeric performance of Alex – and the antics of Peter who can murder any song, but who is undoubtedly a star.

On show night it is fascinating to see not only the bickering between the teachers critiquing the youngsters performance, but to see the youngsters stand there after singing their little hearts out, hope shining in their eyes, and hear that critique – often harsh – to see if they can take it and make it.

So what about a Political Academy? With the Mayoral, London Assembly and European elections bearing down upon us – and a public that doesn’t exactly rush to the polling booths – perhaps that’s what we need to get the voters to turn out next June?

Certainly the voting on the current vogue for TV talent shows gets a voter turn out to die for, not to mention the viewing figures on finals night. Perhaps we should pop the Mayoral candidates into a house to see how they perform? What would we examine? Speech making, policy ideas, spin, image, charisma, truthfulness, ability to entertain and singing? That would be a reality show and a half! I predict a Ken Livingstone v Simon Hughes final. I just hope that Simon can sing and that Ken would get marked down for extreme nasal tone.

And as I say to my children, who are totally embarrassed when I vote for my favourites each show night – if you don’t vote – you don’t have the right to complain about the result.