Sheridan Smith and Duncan James will be leading the cast of Legally Blonde The Musical which will begin previews at the Savoy Theatre from 5th December 2009.

Based on the 2001 film which starred Reese Witherspoon and Luke Wilson, Legally Blonde The Musical is the story of homecoming queen Elle Woods who, when her boyfriend dumps her in favour of someone more serious, puts down the credit card, hits the books and heads for Harvard Law.

The show, which received seven Tony Award nominations during its Broadway run, The London production is directed and choreographed by the show's Tony Award-winning Broadway director Jerry Mitchell, who also choreographed another hit Broadway transfer, Hairspray.

Sheridan Smith, who plays Elle Woods, is best known for her TV comedy appearances in shows including Two Pints Of Lager And A Packet Of Crisps, Grown Ups, The Royle Family, Gavin And Stacey, Love Soup and Benidorm, though she made her West End musical debut prior to her TV fame, playing Tallulah in the 1997 National Youth Music Theatre production of Bugsy Malone. Sheridan also received a Laurence Olivier Award nomination for her last London musical performance in the Menier Chocolate Factory's production of Little Shop Of Horrors.

Duncan James is probably best known as one quarter of the hit boy band Blue, though since the pop group split he has appeared on the West End stage playing Billy Flynn in Chicago, and reached the final of ITV skating show Dancing On Ice in 2007.

Footnote

Blue reformed on 28th April 2009, announcing a date at the Capital Radio Summertime Ball, with a 2009 tour to be announced.