Encore Radio, a new national U.K. radio station that will be dedicated solely to musical theatre music, launched October 24. It can be heard online at encoreradio.co.uk or on digital radio in the U.K.

The presenter line-up includes Duncan James (original star of the West End's Legally Blonde and best known for his days in the pop group Blue) and former Classic FM presenter Jamie Crick, who is also the station's content director.

In a press statement, Crick commented, “Britain has the most successful theatre industry in the world. Now finally there is a radio station catering for the huge number of people who visit the theatre or love the music from shows and films.”

James adds, “I can't wait to get to share three hours every Sunday morning on Encore Radio from 10 AM with other Musical Theatre fans across the country. I love musicals and have been lucky enough to have had leading roles in Chicago, Legally Blonde and Priscilla Queen of the Desert both in the West End and on tour. I’ll be playing my favourite tracks — Miss Saigon has to be my all-time favourite show, it was probably the first musical I saw live — and I'll have lots of my showbiz friends dropping it to chat. It's going to be great fun!”

The playlist, which will be changed monthly, will include current West End shows like Les Miserables, The Phantom of the Opera, Aladdin, Matilda, were and Wicked and the soon-to-arrive Hamilton.

The weekly schedule will also include several stand-alone programs featuring in-depth interviews with West End stars, broadcasts from opening nights and backstage news and gossip, and reviews of the shows.

The station will have studios in London and Guildford.