TONIGHT we’ll find out if the peninsula really does have talent when the Peninsula’s Got Talent contest begins at Palm Beach RSL.

Taking to the judging seat will be three celebrities of the entertainment world: Mondo Rock’s Paul Christie, Icehouse’s Iva Davies and Packed to the Rafters’ Rebecca Gibney.

Gibney, a new resident to Avalon, said the opportunity to have something such as this in our area was invaluable.

"Because this competition is for singer/songwriters we’ll be looking for original tunes that are unique,” she said.

As well as being this year’s Gold Logie winner, Gibney also starred alongside Jon Stevens and Craig McLaughlin in the Happy Days musical.

"And when I was 10, I won 48 cans of Coke for singing the Michael Jackson song Ben in a radio competition,” she said.

"I don’t know why it was 48 - that’s what they gave you in New Zealand in those days.

"But I won’t be singing tonight. We get to tell people they’re either good or not.”

Gibney predicted she would be the "nice” judge ... "the Marcia Hines of Peninsula’s Got Talent.

The competition runs every Friday until the October 9 grand final, that will be attended by a mystery EMI talent scout.

Next Friday, George Houvaradas (Carbo from Packed to the Rafters) will be a guest judge.

"I’m not sure how musical he is but he knows about charisma,” Gibney said.

http://manly-daily.whereilive.com.au/news/story/searching-for-talent/