Who is king of your heart? ... Lee Mead in Joseph in March 2008. Photograph: Tristram Kenton
So Lee Mead is leaving Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat in January after an 18-month run at the Adelphi. Who can replace him?
The obvious choices would be any of the runners-up from Any Dream Will Do, the programme that cast Mead in the first place. Many of them are already working - in a stunning piece of reality TV convergence, second-placed Keith Jack is appearing in a show with failed Nancy Niamh Perry this summer; Daniel Boys is starring in Avenue Q at the Noel Coward theatre; Seamus Cullen is touring as Che in Evita; and Craig Chalmers is leading the touring cast of Joseph.
And that's just a few of them. They'll doubtless be free by the New Year - but where's the excitement in that? My choices would be more fun - and would sell more tickets.
1. Any Dream Will Do judge John Barrowman. Despite proclaiming that he was "handing [his] West End leading man shoes" to Mead, he'd adore it, in a "see, THIS is how it should be done" way. But he's a very busy man with his million and one other projects, and besides, he wants Andrew Lloyd-Webber to write him a brand-new musical of his own. Replacing someone else in a revival may not interest him.
2. Star of The History Boys and Mamma Mia! Dominic Cooper. He made a decent attempt of Lay All Your Love On Me, and looks good in skimpy shorts, which is one of the main requirements of anyone playing Joseph. In fact, let's make no bones about this - it's probably the main requirement.
3. Formerly of S Club 7 and recent Les Misérables leading man Jon Lee. He's progressed from being allowed to sing the harmonies to Jo O'Meara's vocals to a bona fide musical theatre pro, handling the power and emotion of Empty Chairs at Empty Tables with aplomb. Of course, Joseph doesn't really get that much singing to do, but he'd be able to belt out Close Every Door and do a decent pop turn of Any Dream Will Do.
4. Legendary Joseph Jason Donovan. Returning heroes always pull in the crowds.
5. David Beckham. I'm serious about this. If he grows his hair back a bit, he'd be a perfect Joseph - veritably cloned from the mid-90s casting. They'd have to cover his tattoos, obviously, and I'm not sure that he can sing, but he'd sure as hell sell tickets.
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