STARS of stage and screen are coming to the Black Country for the upcoming production of award-winning musical Chicago.

EastEnders actor and West End leading man John Partridge, Coronation Street and Emmerdale favourite Hayley Tamaddon and X Factor winner Sam Bailey will star in Wolverhampton Grand Theatre’s show between June 20 and 25.

Based on real life events back in the roaring 1920s, Chicago tells the story of nightclub singer Roxie Hart who shoots her lover, and along with cell block rival, double-murderess Velma Kelly, they fight to keep from death row with the help of smooth talking lawyer, Billy Flynn.

John Partridge, best known for playing Christian Clarke in EastEnders, will star as Billy, and has many musical theatre credits to his name including Rum Tum Tugger in Cats in the West End, on tour and the official film of the show.

He spoke to the News about what the Black Country audience can expect from the production, as well as the latest gossip about his upcoming return to EastEnders.

For the full interview, click here.

Hayley Tamaddon, playing Roxie, has just finished playing Andrea Beckett in Coronation Street and her numerous theatre credits include The Lady of the Lake in Spamalot and Janet in The Rocky Horror Show. She also won the fifth series of ITV1’s Dancing on Ice.

Sam Bailey knows what it takes to play jail matron Mama Morton after spending three years as a prison officer at HM Prison Gartree before winning the tenth series of The X Factor in 2013 receiving more than a million votes over the course of the final weekend.

Critically acclaimed, Chicago won the 1998 Laurence Olivier Award for ‘Outstanding Musical Production’ as well as the 1998 Critics Circle Drama Award for ‘Best Musical’, and is now the second longest running musical in Broadway history after being on stage for the past 20 years.

Tickets for the show, which starts at 7.30pm daily and 2.30pm matinee performances on Wednesday (June 22) and Saturday (June 25), cost from £24.50 and are available by calling the box office on 01902 429212, or online at grandtheatre.co.uk.