Liverpool date for Fat Friends the Musical tour

Kay Mellor’s Fat Friends the Musical comes to the Liverpool Empire next spring as part of a UK tour.

The new production – which promises ‘hope, humour, love and weight loss’ - stars Lee Mead as lovelorn vicar Paul, with more casting to come.

It will spend a week at the Lime Street theatre from May 23-28.

The musical – written and directed by Mellor - is based on the TV show of the same name which featured a pre-Gavin & Stacey James Corden and Ruth Jones, along with Liverpool’s Alison Steadman and Mellor’s actress daughter Gaynor Faye.

It reunites the show’s foodie friends as they are put through their Zumba paces at their local slimming club, while Kelly fantasises about fitting into the wedding dress of her dreams.

Writer Kay Mellor says: “Issues of body image and online trolling are more pertinent today than ever and will resonate with people everywhere.

“Despite this, using song, dance and humour I can guarantee that audiences will leave the show with a smile on their face and feeling better about themselves – something we all need right now.

“I’m delighted to be remounting Fat Friends the Musical, thrilled to be working with the brilliant and talented Lee Mead and can’t wait for us to bring the show to so many fantastic venues around the UK and Ireland.”

Actor Lee Mead (above) rose to fame after winning the BBC and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Any Dream Will Do search for a 'Joseph' and went on to star in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat in the West End as well as in Legally Blonde and Wicked. In recent years he has concentrated on TV with roles in Casualty and Holby City.

He says: “I’m so excited to be returning to musical theatre after an enjoyable few years on Casualty and Holby City.

“I saw Fat Friends the Musical when it first ran and absolutely loved it, so I can’t wait to now play the lovelorn vicar Paul.

“I’m looking forward to performing live again to wonderful audiences around the country and working with the incredible Kay Mellor.”

The musical was first staged in 2017. Book and lyrics are by Kay Mellor and the music is by Nicholas Lloyd Webber.

Fat Friends the Musical is at the Liverpool Empire from May 23-28. Tickets from the website HERE