KAY Mellor’s Fat Friends - The Musical is heading for Bradford, starring musical favourite Jodie Prenger and former X Factor winner Sam Bailey.

The brand new musical, written and directed by Bafta-winning Kay Mellor with music by Nicholas Lloyd Webber, is described as “bulging with hope, humour and heart”. It reunites characters from Kay's TV comedy drama series Fat Friends, about a group of overweight pals at a weekly slimming club, first shown in 2000. Running for five years on ITV, and nominated for a Bafta, the show starred Alison Steadman, Gaynor Faye and Lisa Riley and launched the careers of James Corden and Ruth Jones.

Now Fat Friends - The Musical brings the dieting chums back together, as they’re put through their Zumba paces at their local branch of Super Slimmers.

Playing the lead role of Kelly, who fantasises about fitting into her dream wedding dress, is Jodie Prenger. Currently touring in Willy Russell’s Shirley Valentine, Jodie shot to fame when she landed the role of Nancy in Cameron Mackintosh’s revival of Oliver! after winning BBC1’s I’d Do Anything. She won the 2010 WhatsOnStage Theatregoer’s Choice Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Musical and went on to play The Lady of The Lake in Spamalot in the West End and on tour.

Other theatre credits include One Man, Two Guvnors, Calamity Jane and Les Miserables, and last year she was at the Alhambra in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s one-woman show, Tell Me On A Sunday. Jodie's TV work includes Citizen Khan, Candy Cabs and Waterloo Road, and she has guest presented on BBC Radio 2 for Elaine Paige and Paul O’Grady.

Also starring in Fat Friends - The Musical is Sam Bailey. After winning X Factor in 2013, former prison officer Sam’s debut single Skyscraper reached Number one and her album The Power of Love hit the top of the UK album charts in 2014. Sam’s theatre roles include Mama Morton in Chicago and she is currently on a UK tour of Sing My Heart Out following the release of her eponymous album last year.

Sam, who takes on the role of Betty, originated on screen by Alison Steadman, said: “I’m absolutely delighted to have been cast as Betty. I loved the show on ITV and I feel so honoured to be working with such a talented group of people. I know I'm going to learn so much from Kay and Nick, I can’t wait to start rehearsals.”

Fat Friends has been adapted for the stage by Kay Mellor, one of the country’s most prolific TV writers whose work includes Band of Gold, filmed in Bradford, The Chase, filmed in Otley, three series of The Syndicate, partly filmed in Bradford and In the Club. She adapted her stage play A Passionate Woman into a TV drama starring Billie Piper and Sue Johnston.

Kay said Jodie Prenger was "the perfect fit to bring Kelly to life on stage". She added: "It fills me with pride to know the musical will be seen by audiences across the nation with such a talented cast. I watched every episode of X Factor when Sam was in it, because to me she was an ordinary woman - a mother and a wife with the voice of an angel and a warm personality. I auditioned Sam for about one minute - as soon as she said my words and I looked in her eyes, I knew she understood Betty. She's an instinctive actress and will bring great depth and warmth to the role."

* Fat Friends - The Musical will open at Leeds Grand Theatre in November ahead of a UK tour, arriving at Bradford's Alhambra from May 14 - 19 May, 2018. Tickets go on sale on Monday, June 19 on (01274) 432000.