Former Coronation Street star Kym Marsh and her lookalike daughter Emilie are to star together on stage in Manchester - playing the SAME character in hit Take That musical Greatest Days. The stage show follows a group of boyband fans that we first see as teenagers in the 1990s, and then through to present day when they are in their 40s.
It gives the talented mum and daughter the opportunity to star on stage as the very same chacter at different stages of her life. Kym, 46, will play Rachel, while Emilie, 24, will star as "Young Rachel" in the musical which celebrates the songs and fans of the Manchester-formed band Take That.
The duo had teased a "big announcement" on their Instagram pages at the weekend. And they broke the news on BBC's Good Morning Live show on Monday morning.
Read more: Hamilton is heading to Manchester from the West End for epic 15-week run
The musical heads out on a major UK tour in May, which will coincide with the summer 2023 release of the official movie version of the show, staring Aisling Bea and Jayde Adams. The tour will also cleberate the 30th anniversary of Take That's first every UK number one single Pray.
Speaking on the role and working with her daughter, Kym said: "I’m delighted to be returning to theatre and joining the cast of Greatest Days. I was in my early twenties when Take That were at the height of their fame and, of course, I was a huge Take That fan – who wasn’t?
"Their music takes me back to so many special times in my life as it will for so many other people. I’m thrilled to be working with my daughter, Emilie, too. She’s a real talent and I can’t wait to share the stage with her. Greatest Days is a wonderful, uplifting show with iconic music, a great storyline and I know people will love it.”
Emilie added: "I’m really excited to be joining the cast of Greatest Days. I grew up listening to Take That with mum, so what an honour it is to be part of this brilliant musical celebrating their music. I’m really close to my mum and getting to work with her is a dream come true."
Producer Adam Kenwright is taking the new tour out, with a book by award-winning playwright Tim Firth and the songs of Take That. The show previously toured under the title The Band, playing to packed houses and rave reviews in 2017 and then again in 2019.
The musical follows a group of five best friends in the 1990s who are obsessed with their favourite boy band. The girls then reunite more than 20 years later with a plan to see their heartthrobs one last time in what could be the Greatest Days of their lives.
Kym and Emilie will perform in the show from 6 May in Bromley, before it then heads to Manchester Palace Theatre from May 16 - 27. Further casting is to be announced.
Actress, presenter and singer Kym first arrived on screens back in 2000 while appearing on the hit reality TV show, Popstars. She went on to win a place in the band Hear'Say.
During her time in the band, Kym achieved two UK number one singles and a number one album before leaving in 2002 to go solo. She went on to star in London’s West End, before joining the cast of Corrie in the role of Michelle Connor in 2006, a part she would play for almost 14 years and during which time she won a string of prestigious awards for her work.
Since then she has appeared in hit BBC One drama The Syndicate and can currently be seen on BBC One’s continuing drama, Waterloo Road, where she plays the role of Nicky Walters. In 2022 Kym made it to the quarter final of Strictly Come Dancing on BBC One with professional partner Graziano Di Prima and also played the iconic role of Alex Forest in a nationwide theatre tour of Fatal Attraction. She is a weekly presenter on hit daytime TV show Morning Live on BBC One.
Kym's daughter Emilie has been singing and performing for as long as she can remember. Having trained with Carol Godby’s Theatre Workshop from a young age, she has appeared on BBC One’s The Voice and ITV’s Britain’s Got Talent. Emilie has recently finished recording her debut album which will be released later this year.
Greatest Days was originally produced as The Band by David Pugh & Dafydd Rogers + Take That. The UK tour of The Band originally opened at Manchester Opera House in September 2017, breaking box office records along the way.
The new tour will start at Bromley's Churchill Theatre from May 6-13, before heading to Manchester's Palace Theatre from May 16-27. It then heads out across the UK to theatres in Newcastle, Sheffield, Cardiff, Liverpool, Blackpool and more.
Read next:
