Michael Ball

Michael Ball began his professional career in Godspell (1984) at Aberystwyth Arts Centre and later starred in The Pirates of Penzance at Manchester Opera House. He originated the role of Marius in the original London production of Les Misérables (1985). He subsequently appeared as Raoul in The Phantom of the Opera (West End), Alex in Aspects of Love (London and New York), and Giorgio in Passion (London). His solo stage show Alone Together premiered at the Donmar Warehouse and was later revived in 2004. He performed in major concert productions including Les Misérables: The Dream Cast in Concert (1995) and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s 50th birthday concert (1998).

He starred as Caractacus Potts in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (2002), co-starred in Sunset Boulevard (2004), and played Count Fosco in The Woman in White (West End and Broadway, 2005). He made his New York City Opera debut as Bunthorne in Patience (2005), appeared in Kismet (2007, ENO), and starred as Edna Turnblad in Hairspray (West End, 2007–2009; revival 2021). He later played Sweeney Todd in Sweeney Todd (2011–2012), Mack in Mack and Mabel (UK tour, 2015), Anatoly in Chess (2018), Inspector Javert in Les Misérables: The Staged Concert (2019) and again in Les Misérables: The Arena Spectacular World Tour (2024), and George Dillingham in Aspects of Love (2023).

His television acting includes Coronation Street (1985) and That Day We Sang (2014). He hosted Michael Ball (1993–1994), The Michael Ball Show (2010), and presented multiple BBC and ITV specials, including Ball & Boe concert specials (2016, 2017, 2019). On radio, he hosted Michael Ball’s Sunday Brunch (2008–2011), Sunday Night with Michael Ball (from 2013), The Michael Ball Show (from 2016), and Love Songs with Michael Ball (from 2024) on BBC Radio 2.

Ball represented the United Kingdom at the Eurovision Song Contest (1992) with “One Step Out of Time.” His recordings include multiple solo albums and three collaborative albums with Alfie Boe—Together (2016), Together Again (2017), and Back Together (2019)—as well as the chart-topping charity single “You’ll Never Walk Alone” (2020).