Michael French will replace John Barrowman as Billy Flynn, and Josefina Gabrielle will take over as Roxie Hart from Jennifer Ellison.

French, a well-known face to British television viewers thanks to his role as David Wicks in “EastEnders,” will follow in the footsteps of such previous London Billys as David Hasselhoff, Henry Goodman and Marti Pellow. Gabrielle, returning to a role she has already played, follows such Roxies as Ruthie Henshall, Denise Van Outen and Linzi Hateley.

After her attention-grabbing turn in the National Theatre/Cameron Mackintosh production of Oklahoma!, Gabrielle was widely tipped for stardom. Although she has appeared in a succession of leading West End roles (in addition to Chicago, she was in the second cast of Mackintosh’s The Witches of Eastwick) it is her Oklahoma! co star, Hugh Jackman, who jumped to the Hollywood A-list.

French and Gabrielle will join the other current Chicago principals, including Paul Baker as Amos Hart, Anna-Jane Casey as Velma Kelly and Sharon D. Clarke as Mama Morton.

For more information, call (0)8704 030303.