Kerry Ellis to star in Cats at the London Palladium

It has now been confirmed that West End star Kerry Ellis will succeed Nicole Scherzinger in the cast of Andrew Lloyd Webber's iconic musical Cats at the London Palladium in the role of 'Grizabella' from 9 February 2015.

The revival began previews on 6 December 2014 with an official opening night on 11 December, and was previously booking to 28 February 2015. Producers have since announced that the show will take a two week hiatus between 2 and 17 March 2015 as well as an extension, and is now booking to 25 April 2015.

Nicole Scherzinger will play her final performance on 7 February 2015.

Kerry Ellis has led a varied career in the West End having played the role of 'Elphaba' in 'Wicked' in the original London production, taking over the role from Idina Menzel. She originated the role of 'Meat' in 'We Will Rock You' at the Dominion Theatre, forging a relationship with Queen band member Brian May, with whom she has toured extensively.

She will play the central role of 'Grizabella' in the new production, the role originally created by Elaine Paige, delivering the famous song 'Memory'. She will perform the role from 9 February 2015 to 25 April 2015.

Ellis will join the West End cast for Cats which also includes Cameron Ball (Macavity/Admetus), Ross Finnie (Skimbleshanks), Charlene Ford (Bombalurina), Joseph Poulton (Quaxo/Mistoffelees), Nicholas Pound (Old Deuteronomy), Sophie Ragavelas (alternate Grizabella), Clare Rickard (Jellylorum/ Griddlebone), Adam Salter (Bill Bailey), Laurie Scarth (Jennyanydots), Hannah Kenna Thomas (Victoria/White Cat), Callum Train (Munkustrap), Zizi Strallen (Demeter) and Dawn Williams (Rumpleteazer).

Cats is one of the longest-running shows in West End and Broadway history. It received its world premiere at the New London Theatre in 1981 where it played for 21 record-breaking years and almost 9,000 performances. The production was the winner of the Olivier and Evening Standard Awards for Best Musical, and in 1983 the Broadway production became the recipient of seven Tony awards including Best Musical, and ran for eighteen years. Since its world premiere, the musical has been presented in over 30 countries, has been translated into 10 languages and has been seen by over 50 million people world-wide.

Based on T. S. Eliot's 'Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats', the new production will reunite the original creative team, Director Trevor Nunn, Associate Director and Choreographer Gillian Lynne, Designer John Napier and Composer Andrew Lloyd Webber.

"On just one special night of the year, all Jellicle cats meet at the Jellicle Ball where Old Deuteronomy, their wise and benevolent leader, makes the Jellicle choice and announces which of them will go up to The Heaviside Layer and be reborn into a whole new Jellicle life."