HIT musicals Mamma Mia, Kinky Boots and The Bodyguard are heading for Bradford as part of a glittering new season of entertainment.

Big names from theatre, dance, music and comedy - including Lulu, Bastille and Lenny Henry - are also on the line-up for Bradford Theatres autumn season.

At the Alhambra, Mamma Mia brings the music of Abba to the stage, in the much-loved story of love, friendship and identity, set on a Greek island. Alexandra Burke returns in The Bodyguard, based on the blockbuster film, and former EastEnders actress Samantha Womack stars in The Girl on the Train, a gripping thriller adapted from Paula Hawkins’ bestselling novel. Kinky Boots, with songs by Cyndi Lauper, goes from the factory floor to the catwalks of Milan, with West End star Kayi Ushe joined by Paula Lane, who played Kylie Platt in Coronation Street.

Strictly Come Dancing champ Joe McFadden stars in Priscilla Queen of the Desert, the warm-hearted adventure of three friends on an epic journey of self-discovery across the Outback on a battered old bus.

And for dance fans, Dance Consortium presents Dada Masilo’s Giselle, a story of betrayal and revenge set in a lively South African village.

Over at St George’s Hall, there’s music from chart-toppers Bastille, Lulu, Jools Holland, Lesley Garrett, Joe Brown, Elkie Brooks, Steve Harley, The Manfreds, Showaddywaddy, Steve Steinman’s Meat Loaf Story and Believe: The Cher Songbook. The Unthanks perform The Emily Bronte Song Cycle, and Rip It Up! Singing & Dancing is a groovy evening of 70s music from Olympic champion Louis Smith, Rachel Stevens from S Club 7, Blue star Lee Ryan Blue and Melody Thornton from Pussycat Dolls.

Other shows include the James Bond Concert Spectacular, highlighting music of the 007 movies, and Stick Man, a “touching, funny and utterly original” show.

There are laughs-a-plenty from Lenny Henry, Ben Elton, Jimmy Carr, Henning Wehn, Count Arthur Strong and Romesh Ranganathan, and Lee Mead and Gilbert O’Sullivan are at King’s Hall, Ilkley,

Adam Renton, General Manager Bradford Theatres said: “At the award-winning Alhambra Theatre, we open the season with first class thriller The Girl on the Train. Following the transformational refurbishment at St George’s Hall, we look forward to an array of musicians and singers, as well as the return of our international classical music season, with resident

orchestra, The Hallé.”

* Call (01274) 432000 or visit bradford-theatres.co.uk