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Abbot, who originally starred in the role back in 1997 at the London Palladium, will take over from current funny man Griff Rhys Jones. Abbot briefly returned to the role in 2009 for two weeks when Rowan Atkinson needed immediate surgery.

Abbot became a household name with his TV programme The Russ Abbot Show in the 1980s and went on to star in TV dramas including September Song and, more recently, Last Of The Summer Wine. As well as television Abbot is an experienced stage actor, having appeared in West End productions of Little Me, One For The Road, Caught In The Net, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and My Fair Lady. 

The classic Dickens’s tale of Oliver Twist is transformed by Lionel Bart into a wonderful musical full of comedy, drama, history, villains and Oom Pah Pah. The show tells the story of an orphan, Oliver, who ends up on the streets of Victorian London.

On arrival in the capital Oliver meets the Artful Dodger who shows Oliver the world of Fagin, Bill Sykes and Nancy. Fagin soon trains him to pick pocket his way around the town until, fortunate for Oliver, a wealthy man takes pity. Afraid of what Oliver might reveal about their industry, Fagin and Bill set out to get Oliver back, with tragic consequences.

Starring Wicked sensation Kerry Ellis as Nancy.