Ex-Coronation Street and Emmerdale star Bill Ward will join the West End cast of Everybody’s Talking About Jamie.
Ward will replace Bianca Del Rio/Roy Haylock in the role of Loco Chanelle from 1 July at the Apollo Theatre in London.
Ward said: I’m delighted to be joining the cast of Everybody’s Talking About Jamie. It’s a wonderful story, genuinely heart-warming with some cracking tunes, and an awful lot of fun. I’m particularly looking forward to finding my inner Loco Chanelle, and stepping into one of the biggest pairs of stilettoes I’ve ever seen.”
Shane Ritchie previously played Loco Chanelle to great aplomb earlier this year.
Whilst he is best know for his work in television, Bill Ward’s numerous theatre credits include Spamalot (West End), The Hairy Ape (Southwark Playhouse) and national tours of Shakespeare In Love, Legally Blond, Not Dead Enough, Viva Forever and Million Dollar Quartet.
The cast of Everybody’s Talking About Jamie is currently lead by Layton William (RENT, Billy Elliot, Bad Education) in title role, alongside Faye Tozer, Sejal Keshwala and Rebecca McKinnis.
The piece by Dan Gillespie Sells and Tom MacRae has been a welcome shot in the arm for home-grown British musicals, with a pop score, high school setting and themes of acceptance appealing to a much younger theatre audience.
Everybody’s Talking About Jamie is booking until 25 January 2020 at the Apollo Theatre, London.
