Paul O'Grady will star as one of the lead roles in the smash hit production of the musical Annie in Bristol. The former Blankety Blank host will play Miss Hannigan when the production comes to Bristol Hippodrome on its UK tour in 2023.
The 67-year-old will return to Annie having first played the role of Miss Hannigan at the Victoria Palace Theatre in 1998. His other theatre credits include playing the Child Catcher in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at the London Palladium and many pantomimes including Cinderella and Goldilocks and the Three Bears at the London Palladium.
He is best known as the host of ITV’s Paul O’Grady: For the Love of Dogs, Paul O’Grady’s Great British Escape, The Paul O’Grady Show, Channel 4’s Blind Date and BBC One’s Blankety Blank. He is also a highly celebrated writer, having written both autobiographical and fictional books and recently completed a 14 year run as a presenter on BBC Radio 2.
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The TV star will play the character on several other legs of the tour, including Newcastle, Edinburgh, Southampton, Liverpool and Dublin. The casting for the role across other venues on the tour is yet to be announced.
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The story is set in 1930s New York during The Great Depression where a brave young girl called Annie is forced to live a life of misery and torment at Miss Hannigan’s orphanage. Determined to find her real parents, her luck changes when she is chosen to spend Christmas at the residence of famous billionaire, Oliver Warbucks. Spiteful Miss Hannigan has other ideas and hatches a plan to spoil Annie’s search.
With its award-winning book and score, this stunning production includes many musical favourites including ‘It’s the Hard Knock Life’, ‘Easy Street’, ‘I Don’t Need Anything But You’ and ‘Tomorrow’.
Annie has Music by Charles Strouse, Lyrics by Martin Charnin and a Book by Thomas Meehan. It is directed by Curve’s Artistic Director Nikolai Foster with set and costume design by Colin Richmond, choreography by Nick Winston, lighting by Ben Cracknell and sound design by Richard Brooker.
The musical comes to Bristol Hippodrome on November 20-25, 2023 and tickets will go on sale on October 17, 2022 at 12pm. You can also book tickets for a number of other shows coming to the theatre next year.
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