SMASH hit musical The Bodyguard is coming to Bradford's Alhambra theatre, starring former X Factor winner Alexandra Burke.

The show, based on the Oscar-nominated 1992 movie starring Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner, comes to Bradford as part of a UK tour following a hit West End run.

The romantic thriller is the story of former Secret Service agent turned bodyguard Frank Farmer, who is hired to protect superstar singer Rachel Marron from an unknown stalker. Each expects to be in charge; what they don’t expect is to fall in love.

The Bodyguard features numerous Whitney Houston classics, including Queen of the Night, So Emotional, One Moment in Time, Saving All My Love, I’m Your Baby Tonight, Run to You, I Have Nothing, I Wanna Dance with Somebody and one of the biggest-selling songs of all time - I Will Always Love You.

Alexandra Burke will play Rachel Marron in the evening performances, with Zoe Birkett taking on the role for the matinees. After winning the fifth series of X Factor, Alexandra's debut single Hallelujah went to Number 1 and sold more than one million copies in the UK, a first for a British female soloist. In 2011 she was invited by Beyonce to support her I Am... tour. Alexandra is a three-time Brit award nominee and her third album is due for release later this year.

She said "I couldn't be happier to be joining the tour of The Bodyguard and I'm excited to get started. It is an honour to have been asked to join the team and I look forward to creating new and long lasting memories with the cast."

Zoe Birkett was the highest placed female contestant on ITV’s Pop Idol in 2002, the series that saw Bradford's Gareth Gates finish as the runner-up. Since then she has appeared in the West End productions of Priscilla Queen of the Desert and Thriller Live.

* The Bodyguard runs at the Alhambra from June 2 - 13, 2015. For tickets call (01274) 432000.