Full casting has been announced for Kay Mellor's new musical, Fat Friends which comes to Southampton Mayflower from 5-10 February 2018..

Atomic Kitten star Natasha Hamilton, who has previously starred in Blood Brothers, will take on the role of Julia alongside former Coronation Street actor Kevin Kennedy (aka Carly Watts) as Fergus.

Further casting includes Rachael Wooding (We Will Rock You), Jonathan Halliwell (Let It Shine), Chloe Hart (Hairspray) and Joel Montague (School of Rock), with Craig Armstrong, Lizzie Bea, Paul Brangan, Emma Crossley, Neil Hurst, Ellie Leah, Laura Mansell and Ryan Pidgen completing the cast.

They join the previously announced Freddie Flintoff, Jodie Prenger, Natalie Anderson, Sam Bailey and Elaine C Smith.

Written and directed by BAFTA-winner Mellor, with original music from Nicholas Lloyd Webber, Fat Friends opens at Leeds Grand in November, before embarking on a UK tour.

Based on the TV show of the same name, the musical is set in a slimming club in Leeds and sees the characters put through modern weight loss techniques.

Apart from being best known for being one third of one of the UK’s most internationally successful girl groups of the last decade, Atomic Kitten, Natasha Hamilton's stage credits include starring as Mrs Johnston in Blood Brothers (Phoenix Theatre) and Rent (Touring).

Kevin Kennedy is most recognised for his 20-year portrayal of Norman ‘Curly’ Watts in Coronation Street (1983-2003), but his theatre credits include Chicago (Adelphi Theatre), We Will Rock You (Dominion Theatre), Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (international tour), Hamlet (Sheffield Crucible) and Ducking Out (Duke of York’s).

Tickets for Fat Friends – The Musical (5-10 February 2018) are on sale from Mayflower Theatre Box Office tel: 02380 711811 or online at mayflower.org.uk. Ovation Restaurant bookings: 02380 711833