As his former soap star peers trot out for panto season, Jason Donovan will be preparing for something a little more weighty: a lead role in a stage adaptation of The King’s Speech.
He will play Lionel Logue, the speech therapist assigned to treat King George VI’s speech impediment before he addresses the empire as war looms. The king will be played by Raymond Coulthard, best known for his roles on Hotel Babylon and Mr Selfridge.
Starring Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush, the 2010 film The King’s Speech became the most successful independent British production ever at the UK box office, and went on to earn £250m worldwide as well as major Oscars for best picture, best actor and best director.
Donovan has long been performing on stage, with lead roles in West End musicals including Sweeney Todd and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang; he donned drag for a 2009 production of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, before deploying his dancing chops for Strictly Come Dancing, where he came third in 2011.
Of the forthcoming role of Logue, he said: “He was such an interesting and remarkable Australian, who achieved so much in a very challenging situation and I think he will be fascinating to play.”
The production will tour 14 UK theatres, beginning in Chichester on 5 February 2015.
