Wet Wet Wet singer Marti Pello is to star as Billy Flynn in the long-running hit musical Chicago at the Adelphi Theatre.
Pellow, who shot to fame as a singer with the pop band Wet Wet Wet is taking a new direction by appearing in a stage musical. Chicago seems to lend itself to this change of direction for stars from other areas — Denise Van Outen has triumphed in London and, this week, on Broadway as Roxie Hart, while the role of Billy Flynn has been played by 1960's heartthrob and singer Sacha Distel. Alison Moyet, best known as a pop singer, has made a great impression on audiences as Mama Morton.
Pellow is to appear in Chicago in June for a short season. The production has established a pattern of short seasons in the lead roles by high-profile performers.