GRAHAM NORTON - GRAHAM NORTON SIGNS UP FOR MUSICAL DRAG ARTIST ROLE

GRAHAM NORTON SIGNS UP FOR MUSICAL DRAG ARTIST ROLE

Talkshow host Graham Norton is to star as drag artist Zaza in the West End run of La Cage Aux Folles.

The comedian and presenter will take over from Douglas Hodge on January 19th, it was announced at the Playhouse Theatre on Thursday morning.

Norton, 45, is best known for hosting the BBC1 reality shows I'd Do Anything, How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria? and Any Dream Will Do, in which contestants battled to win leading roles in London musicals.

And now the Irishman will be treading the boards himself, having been unveiled in full drag as the next Zaza.

He will star as one of two gay men living in Saint Tropez, whose idyllic existence is threatened when his partner's son announces his engagement to the daughter of a right-wing politician.

Based on the play by Jean Poiret, the musical opened on Broadway in 1983, running for 1,761 performances and winning six Tony awards.

The central song I Am What I Am became a hit for the likes of Gloria Gaynor and Shirley Bassey, while a 1980 film version was nominated for the best director, adapted screenplay and costume design Oscars.

Norton will be performing in La Cage Aux Folles until April 25th, though he will not be appearing on the following dates due to television commitments: January 24th and 31st, March 4th, 11th, 18th and 25th and April 1st, 8th, 15th and 22nd.