CELEBRATED West End and Broadway star Ruthie Henshall leads the line up for a glittering variety show to celebrate a quarter of a century of Hampshire charity Wessex Heartbeat at Mayflower Theatre in April.

A five-time Olivier Award nominee, she won the 1995 Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her role as Amalia Balash in the London revival of She Loves Me and has been a critics and fans favourite since making her stage debut in Cats in the West End in 1987.

Ruthie will be joined at The 25 years of Wessex Heartbeat Variety Show, on Sunday April 30, by a whole host of national and local talent.

Comedian and impressionist Jon Clegg, best known as a Britain's Got Talent finalist, will delight the audience with his takes on the likes of Simon Cowell, Louis Walsh, Alan Carr and Marge Simpson.

Presented in conjunction with Carnival UK, the show will also feature performers from Cunard and P&O Cruises, including shows brought to the sea by Henshall and TV and theatre star Jonathan Wilkes

Guests on Arcadia have been able to enjoy a new stage show developed by Henshall. Based on the music of songwriting duo Kander and Ebb, Money Makes The World Go Round will create a 1920’s cabaret world on stage and features popular songs from musicals such as Cabaret, Chicago and Flora The Red Menace.

Jonathan Wilkes launched Evolution onboard Azura. Choreographed by award-winning Barbara Evans, the show features songs by Michael Jackson, Coldplay, Sting, Lady Gaga, Elton John and Paloma Faith. It also combines dancing and techno-visuals to follow the story of two tribes, the Fabricators and the Humanoids.

Hampshire's own acts include Wessex Factor winners The 5, E Minor Pop Academy, Giselle Academy of Theatre Arts and Izzi Moulsdale.

The not to be missed show will raise funds for the charity, which provides support to the babies, children, adults and their loved ones treated at the Wessex Cardiac Centre at Southampton General Hospital.

For tickets, call 023 8071 1811 or visit mayflower.org.uk