Set your alarms – The Big Night of Musicals is back this weekend on BBC One.
Jason Manford returns to host a celebration of British musical theatre from Manchester’s AO Arena, with exclusive performances and special guests direct from the West End and across the UK.
The highlight for the show will be Sam Ryder making his debut performance as Jesus from this summer’s London Palladium revival of Jesus Christ Superstar. Tickets are available now and you can book online directly using your Theatre Tokens.
Alexandra Burke will also appear as Chaka Khan, delivering a medley from the new musical biopic I’m Every Woman, ahead of stops at The Belgrade Theatre, Coventry and Congress Theatre, Eastbourne.
This week tickets went on sale for next year’s much-anticipated revival of Miss Saigon in the West End, with The Big Night Of Musicals having an early preview performance of Schönberg and Boublil’s modern update of Madame Butterfly. You can use your Theatre Tokens to book now, ahead of its return next year, along with other performing shows from London including Disney’s The Lion King, Oliver! and Wicked.
The show will also feature performances by two of this year’s Olivier Award nominees. Best Actress in a Musical nominee Victoria Hamilton-Barritt will sing a song from the brand new show Paddington The Musical, which has a mammoth 11 nominations this year.
Competing Best Actor in a Musical nominees Marc Antolin and Andy Nyman will also perform a song from Best Musical Revival hopeful The Producers, a revival of the hilarious and outrageous Mel Brooks musical.
Plus the show will also feature performances from The Choir Of Man and Annie, currently on tour, as well as a behind-the-scenes tease of the upcoming Bank Of Dave: The Musical and a celebration of Disney composer Alan Menken.
Tune in to BBC One from 7.45pm on Saturday 26 March, watch on iPlayer or listen on BBC Sounds, then head over to BBC Two after it finishes for a night of Showtunes At The BBC.