Brian Conley takes over as Edna in HAIRSPRAY

The producers of HAIRSPRAY are delighted to announce that Brian Conley is to join the cast as larger-than-life Edna Turnblad in the hit musical, currently running at London's Shaftesbury Theatre, on Monday 27 July. Brian is joined by Chloe Hart taking over as big-haired, big-hearted Tracy Turnblad and Liam Tamne as heartthrob Link Larkin.

Brian Conley is one of the UK's biggest entertainment stars with credits spanning musicals, television, film, comedy and variety. His career highlights include multiple series of The Brian Conley Show for ITV, regular appearances at The Royal Variety Show, television comedies The Grimleys and Time After Time and lead roles in hit musicals Me & My Girl, Jolson and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, as well as many sold-out comedy and music tours and pantomimes.

Commenting on joining the cast of HAIRSPRAY, Brian said:

"I've done a lot in my career, but wearing a dress and heels every night and being married to Nigel Planer weren't things I was expecting to be doing all at the same time, and in front of thousands of people! I'm absolutely delighted to be back in the West End and joining one of the most uplifting, happy and, not to mention, successful shows in town. Being part of something that brings a smile to people's faces, especially in these troubled times, is a real treat and I can't wait to get on stage at the Shaftesbury."

Newcomer Chloe Hart steps into the lead role of heroine Tracy Turnblad, her first job straight out of Guildford School of Acting and Liam Tamne joins the cast directly from Wicked.

Nigel Planer and former Emmerdale star Verity Rushworth are also confirmed to stay with the production through till October 2009 as Wilbur Turnblad and Penny Pingleton.

The smash hit award-winning musical HAIRSPRAY at the Shaftesbury Theatre in London recouped its entire £3.5 million capitalisation in a record-breaking 29 weeks. The show opened on 30 October 2007 to universal critical acclaim and smash hit business. At the 2008 Olivier Awards, HAIRSPRAY won Best Musical, as well as Best Actor in a Musical for Michael Ball, Best Actress in a Musical for Leanne Jones. The show has also won Best Musical at the Evening Standard Awards, the Whatsonstage.com awards, the Critics' Circle Awards and the Variety Club Showbiz Awards.

The musical continues to break all box office records at the theatre and is now booking until April 2010.

HAIRSPRAY is produced in the West End by Stage Entertainment with Margo Lion, The Baruch/Viertel/Routh/Frankel Group and New Line Cinema in association with others from the Broadway producing team.

HAIRSPRAY opened at the Neil Simon Theatre in New York in August 2002 to rave reviews and public acclaim. HAIRSPRAY subsequently swept the board at the 2003 Tony Awards, winning 8 including Best Musical, the Drama Desk Awards, winning 10 including Best Musical, and the Outer Critics' Circle Awards, winning 5 including Best Broadway Musical. HAIRSPRAY also won the New York Drama Critics' Circle Award for Best Musical and the Drama League Award for Outstanding Musical Production. The show has also played two hugely successful US tours as well as seasons in Toronto and Las Vegas, and further afield in South Africa, Brazil and Scandinavia.

HAIRSPRAY has a book by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan, music by Marc Shaiman and lyrics by Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman. The musical is based on the New Line Cinema film, written and directed by John Waters. The musical is directed by Jack O'Brien and choreographed by Jerry Mitchell. The scenic design is by David Rockwell, the costumes by William Ivey Long, the lighting by Kenneth Posner and the sound by Steve C. Kennedy. With orchestrations by Harold Wheeler and arrangements by Marc Shaiman, the musical direction is by Lon Hoyt. The West End production of HAIRSPRAY is staged by the entire original Broadway creative team.

Performances times at the Shaftesbury Theatre are Mondays to Saturdays at 7.30pm, with Thursday and Saturday matinees at 3.00pm. Tickets, priced from £22.50 - £62.50, are available from the Shaftesbury Theatre Box Office on 0207 379 5399 or by visiting www.hairspraythemusical.com.