We could’ve been in the final.
All we had to do was sing the famous first words of Total Eclipse of the Heart into a microphone and we would’ve been in the final. But we got too excited. We counted our metaphorical chickens before they had metaphorically hatched. We got too excited that we knew the words to the song, and forgot to actually sing the words to the song.
“Get off the stage,” said presenters Tim and Gendle, as Bonnie Tyler jumped in to sing her part perfectly on time, what with her being a recording and all.
The stage was exited. A chance to become a legend and reach the final of Famous First Words, destroyed.
Famous First Words is exactly that - the opportunity to become a legend for about 15 seconds, or slightly longer if the audience like the song. It's described as the boozed-up lovechild of Don’t Forget the Lyrics and X-Factor. And it's not karaoke.
Basically, Tim and Gendle stand on the stage and play the introduction to a song. The first one in the audience to shout out that they know the song then raises their hand and gets to go up on stage. Tim and Gendle then restart the song, and then the person who raised their hand gets the chance to try and sing the famous first words.