Jason Manford is to host an arena show in Manchester to celebrate some of the biggest West End musicals.
The show, called the Big Night of Musicals, will take place at the AO Arena on January 24 in conjunction with the BBC.
It will see performances from a host of West End hits, with the Salford-born stand-up welcoming cast-members from Frozen, The Lion King, Back To The Future, The Drifters, & Juliet and Dear Evan Hansen.
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Musical numbers will also come from touring shows like Bat Out of Hell, Dreamgirls, and Lord Lloyd Webber’s School of Rock, as well as a medley performance of songs from Disney’s Beauty and the Beast musical.
The show is intended as a thank you to players of the National Lottery - which has supported theatres around the country through the pandemic.
3000 additional free tickets for the show will be going online tomorrow morning (January 7) at 9am, released on a first come, first served basis on the AO Arena website, after the first wave of tickets sold out in 15 minutes last month.
A total of £228 million in lottery grants have been awarded to the culture sector, with 2000 theatres benefitting across the country.
The show will air on BBC One on January 29, with a radio version airing the following day on Radio 2.
Manford, who has appeared in West End shows including Sweeny Todd and Curtains, said: "It’s fantastic to see such a positive response after the first ticket release. It’s been a very difficult 20 months for the theatre industry and I hope that as many National Lottery players as possible will be able to join this National Lottery musical spectacular.
"The event promises to be a brilliant show full of celebration, featuring some of the best musicals on right now.”
Kate Phillips, director of entertainment at the BBC, said: “We are delighted to bring a great night of contemporary musicals that the entire family can enjoy into viewers homes, showcasing the world class talent that British theatre is known for.”
Theatres across Greater Manchester have suffered continuous disruption throughout the pandemic.
The Palace Theatre’s production of The Book of Mormon was cancelled in the run-up to Christmas, following positive coronavirus tests among the cast and crew.
In Salford, The Lowry also cancelled festive performances of The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, before closing the theatre entirely on December 21.
