Carolynne Good started her performing career as a Bradford Bulls cheerleader, before achieving success on a TV reality show.

Now she’s returning to Bradford, treading the Alhambra boards in rock’n’roll musical Dreamboats and Petticoats.

After reaching the final of BBC1’s Fame Academy in 2003, she wrote and recorded an album and toured with Tony Christie. She starred in Alhambra panto, Dick Whittington, with Billy Pearce and appeared in British film The Last Days of Edgar Harding.

Inspired by two compilation albums, Dreamboats and Petticoats was written by Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran, the team behind TV sitcoms Birds of a Feather and Goodnight Sweetheart, and celebrates 1950s and 60s hits from artists such as Roy Orbison, Billy Fury and Chuck Berry.

“It’s a feelgood show,” said Carolynne, 29, whose great aunt, ballroom dancer Sylvia Fielden, ran dancing classes at Bradford’s Masonic Hall in the 1970s.

“It celebrates an era when teenagers got their independence and discovered rock’n’roll.”

Leeds-born Carolynne plays Sue, who’s wooed by a geek who dreams of being in a band and a cool guy who steals her heart. “I have to wear layers of petticoats, it’s quite painful. And my hair is in a beehive so I spend a lot of time in hair and wardrobe before each performance,” said Carolynne.

“I don’t know how they managed back then with the fashions – it’s a bit different from tying my hair into a ponytail and putting on my Ugg boots!”

Carolynne trained at Intake school of performing arts, Leeds, where Bradford actors Natalie Anderson and Chris Fountain were pupils.

“After Fame Academy I decided to lie low and focus on songwriting,” said Carolynne.

“You’ll never be as famous as you are straight after a show like that – everyone wants a piece of you – but I didn’t want five minutes of fame. I took some time out.

“Songwriting is my release, but right now I’m focusing on musical theatre. My dream shows would be Chicago or Wicked. I love The Wizard of Oz and even wore ruby slippers to my wedding!

“I’d also like to do another Alhambra panto with Billy. Every time I was on the Odsal pitch, cheerleading with my Bullette pom-poms, I used to wish I was singing there.”

Dreamboats and Petticoats runs at the Alhambra from April 26 to May 1. Tickets are available on (01274) 432000.