Former Strictly Come Dancing professional and TV Presenter Janette Manrara will join the UK and Ireland tour of Chicago as Roxie Hart, making her musical theatre debut.

Janette said today, “This is a dream come true! To have my musical theatre debut be playing the iconic Roxie Hart is so exciting. She is a beautifully complex character, and I cannot wait to bring my ‘Roxie’ to the stage. I truly look forward to working with the incredible cast and the whole team of one of the best musicals of all time. Looking forward to seeing everyone that comes to the show and giving them a real ‘razzle dazzle’ of a show!”

Janette joins West End leading lady Djalenga Scott as Velma Kelly, alongside Joshua Lloydas Amos Hart and Jordan Lee Davies as Mary Sunshine. Casting for Billy Flynn and Mama Morton to be announced soon.​

The cast is completed by Bethany Adamson, Victoria Anderson, Josh Crowther, Joe Dale, Jessica Keable, Robin Kent, Annabelle Laing, Jacob McLay Reid, Jonathan Milton, George Olney, Oliver Ramsdale, Elly Shaw, Lucy Anne Stacey, Matthew Sweet and Ria Tanaka.

Janette Manrara is best known for having been on Strictly Come Dancing, reaching the finals with HRVY, as well as co-hosting BBC2’s It Takes Two and hosting the Strictly Live tour across the UK. Her previous theatre credits include the Broadway and international tour of Burn the Floor, as well as UK touring productions A Christmas To Remember, Remembering Fred, Remembering the Movies and a streamed version of Remembering the Oscars, all with her husband Aljaž Škorjanec. Janette is also an author, having released her debut book, Tiny Dancer, Big World.

Set amidst the razzle-dazzle decadence of the 1920s, Chicago is the story of Roxie Hart, a housewife and nightclub dancer who murders her on-the-side lover after he threatens to walk out on her. Desperate to avoid conviction, she dupes the public, the media and her rival cellmate, Velma Kelly, by hiring Chicago’s slickest criminal lawyer to transform her malicious crime into a barrage of sensational headlines, the likes of which might just as easily be ripped from today's tabloids.

Chicago The Musical shows at The Alexandra, Birmingham from 14 - 19 April and Wolverhampton Grand Theatre from 23 - 28 June, with tickets on sale now.