Fat Friends The Musical Tickets London

Actor, director and writer Kay Mellor has died aged 71.  A spokesperson for her TV production company, Rollem Productions, said: "It is with profound sadness that we announce the untimely and sudden passing of our beloved friend, mentor and colleague Kay Mellor on Sunday 15th May 2022. "We have lost a phenomenal talent and a true luminary. We ask that you please respect the privacy of the family and friends at this time." Mellor's work included anthology drama series Dramarama (1982-1989), soap opera Families (1990-1993), television drama serials including Band of Gold (1995); Playing the Field (1998); Fat Friends (2000); Between the Sheets (2003); Strictly Confidential (2006); and The Syndicate (2012-2021). Films included: Girls Night starring Julie Walters, Brenda Blethyn and Kris Kristorfferson. In 1999, she both wrote and directed the feature film Fanny and Elvis starring Ray Winstone and one off drama Some Kind of Life which was BAFTA nominated and won the Prix Niki Award. In 2017, Mellor turned Fat Friends into a stage musical with Nick Lloyd Webber writing the music. Fat Friends The Musical toured the UK in 2018. Mellor subsequently adapted Band of Gold, which toured the UK from 2019 until the COVID-19 pandemic. Mellor was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2009 Birthday Honours. Response on social media https://twitter.com/mrJamesGraham/status/1526519249061150720 https://twitter.com/Reallisariley/status/1526496185040650240 https://twitter.com/JoelMontague10/status/1526494154334818306 https://twitter.com/davidsoho1/status/1526499070499602433 https://twitter.com/J_Kerrigan/status/1526497359676559360 https://twitter.com/becxh/status/1526504050128207874 https://twitter.com/WillCABurns/status/1526527066228895746 https://twitter.com/mark_morrell/status/1526524254652612608 https://twitter.com/JulieDeighton3/status/1526507381978431488 https://twitter.com/laurasteele64/status/1526494496598392833 https://twitter.com/joonLT/status/1526503854715682818 https://twitter.com/LucindaSinclai1/status/1526503329962016768 https://twitter.com/IanBrownTV/status/1526503462300696578 https://twitter.com/GregHaiste/status/1526495136875745280 https://twitter.com/NorthernLifeMag/status/1526509078868070400 https://twitter.com/TimJRSullivan/status/1526507556600008704 https://twitter.com/JulietteshawWFM/status/1526500680227340288

Kay Mellor’s smash-hit Fat Friends The Musical is back on the road! Following it's sell-out 2017 tour, the show is travelling across the UK and Ireland in 2022, opening at Dartford Orchard Theatre on 14 January. Lee Mead is set to star as lovelorn vicar Paul in the show. Lee came to fame winning BBC One’s ‘Any Dream Will Do’ to play Joseph in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat in the West End, and has gone on to star in numerous musicals including Legally Blonde and Wicked. He is also a TV star, with shows including Casualty and Holby City. Further casting is to be announced soon. Fat Friends The Musical is created, directed and has a book and lyrics by the multi award winning Kay Mellor, whose latest hit series of The Syndicate recently ran on BBC One. The show has Music by Nicholas Lloyd Webber with Set and Costume design by Bretta Gerecke. Choreography is by Karen Bruce, Sound by Ben Harrison, Lighting by Nick Richings with Orchestrations, Arrangements and Musical Supervision by Simon Lee, Casting by Stephen Crockett CDG for David Grindrod Associates, with Additional Casting by David Shaw. It is produced by Joshua Andrews and Rollem Productions. The tour will visit venues including Cardiff New, Leeds Grand, Edinburgh Festival, Dublin Bord Gais Energy Theatre, The Lowry, Salford, Southampton Mayflower, Wolverhampton Grand, Canterbury Marlowe and Newcastle, Norwich and Plymouth Theatre Royals. The musical is based on the ITV series Fat Friends, that starred James Corden and Ruth Jones. The 2017 tour featured cast including Emmerdale's Natalie Anderson, Freddie Flintoff, and Jodie Prenger.

Emmerdale and The Royal star Natalie Anderson will join the cast of Fat Friends – The Musical. Anderson will play the role of slimmers lead, lovelorn Lauren, originated on screen by Emmerdale co-star Gaynor Faye. She joins previously announced Jodie Prenger, Sam Bailey, Elaine C Smith and cricketing legend Andrew ‘Freddie’ Flintoff. Anderson’s stage credits include Nessarose in the West End production of Wicked, Lady Capulet in Romeo and Juliet at West Yorkshire Playhouse and Tara in Exposure The Musical at St James’ Theatre. Fat Friends - The Musical will open at Leeds Grand Theatre on 7 November 2017.

Cricket legend Andrew “Freddie” Flintoff will make his theatrical stage debut in Fat Friends – the Musical. In a surprise turn, the former England cricket captain and star of SKY’s League of Their Own will swap the cricket pitch to tread the boards as he joins Jodie Prenger, Sam Bailey and Elaine C Smith for the world premiere of Kay Mellor’s new musical comedy. Freddie takes to the stage for the first time on 7th November 2017 as Fat Friends – the Musical opens at Leeds Grand Theatre. He will then tour with the production to Southampton, Sheffield, Manchester, Birmingham, Bradford and Blackpoo Flintoff said: “I am really excited to be starring in Fat Friends – The Musical. Having had the pleasure of recently working on an episode of Kay’s latest TV series, it’s great to have the opportunity to work with her again. I loved the TV series and think Fat Friends – The Musical, is going to give people a great night out. I’m really looking forward to it.” Flintoff will play the role of Kevin - leading male and fiancee to Kelly played by Jodie Prenger. Based on the ITV drama which Alison Steadman, Gaynor Faye, Lisa Riley, James Corden and Ruth Jones, the show reunites the foodie friends in an original musical bulging with hopes, humour and heart. Written and directed by Mellor, Fat Friends – The Musical has original music and songs composed by Nicholas Lloyd Webber. No dates on a West End run have been announced.

Hit TV series Fat Friends is finally coming to the stage in a brand new musical starring Jodie Prenger. Written and directed by BAFTA and multi award-winning Kay Mellor with original music from Nicholas Lloyd Webber, the production will star Jodie Prenger in the role of Kelly Stevenson. Described as an original musical bulging with hopes, humour and heart, Fat Friends The Musical sees the infamous group of loveable characters put through their Zumba paces at their local branch of Super Slimmer’s by the lovelorn Lauren whilst Kelly fantastises about fitting into the wedding dress of her dreams. The much-loved ITV series ran from 2000-2005 and followed the lives of a group of overweight friends as they struggled with the absurdities of modern dieting. The show starred Alison Steadman, Sheridan Smith and Lisa Riley and launched the careers of James Corden and Ruth Jones. Fat Friends The Musical will premiere at Leeds Grand Theatre from 7 November 2017 ahead of a UK tour. Full casting and UK tour dates to be announced.

Fat Friends, the popular ITV television series featuring Ruth Jones and James Corden is being developed into a stage musical. Kay Mellor, the drama’s original writer, is writing the book and Nick Lloyd Webber, son of Andrew Lloyd Webber, writing music for the show. According to sources, a workshop was held last year starring Jane McDonald. While none of the names currently involved with the project are contractually signed to it, sources indicate that the producers are hoping to open the musical at the West Yorkshire Playhouse. Fat Friends originally ran for four series on ITV from 2000. A spokeswoman for Mellor remained tight lipped saying the writer was currently working “on several different projects which are currently just in development stages” with her own company, Rollem Productions. MORE INFO Sign-up to our email alerts to be the first to hear about booking >