Lee Mead is a much loved actor of stage and screen. Having won the nations hearts when they voted him their Joseph in BBC One’s ‘Any Dream Will Do’, Lee has gone on to star in the West End in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Legally Blonde and Wicked before establishing himself as a TV favourite on Casualty and then Holby City in the role of ‘Lofty’. Lee Mead said today “I am so excited to be returning to musical theatre after an enjoyable few years on Casualty and Holby City and I’m so thrilled to be starring in Fat Friends The Musical. I saw the show when it first ran and absolutely loved it, so I can’t wait to now play the lovelorn vicar, Paul. I’m so looking forward to performing live again to wonderful audiences around the country and working with the incredible and iconic Kay Mellor.”

Alex-May Roberts trained at the University of Central Lancashire (BA Hons in Music Theatre). 

Most recent credits include Crystal Gordon in Bad Girls the Musical (Upstairs at the Gatehouse), Lettie Lutz/The Bearded Lady in The Greatest Show (Stiwt Theatre), Vocalist in Look to the West End Sky (Theatre Severn), Prest-End (Charter Theatre) and Night at The Musicals (Lancashire).

Alex-May is thrilled to be joining the cast of Fat Friends the Musical.

Sherrie began performing at the age of four and won an Olivier Award for best newcomer at the age of fifteen. She was granted a scholarship for the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and has gone on to an impressive career in film, television and theatre and to win other major awards, including Best Actress and Best Comedy Actress.

Film includes roles in Hanover Street alongside Harrison Ford, classic British films such as Carry On Behind and The Slipper and The Rose, Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years and Sixes and Sevens.

Theatre: Sherrie has starred in productions including The Tempest, In Camera, Jumpers, Julius Caesar, Lady From The Sea, Run For Your Wife, Billy Liar, Stepping Out, Murder Mistaken and Arsenic and Old Lace, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and The Glass Menagerie.

In the 1980’s, as well as starring in dramas such as Love for Lydia, Flickers, Kate the Good Neighbour, Lovejoy, In Loving Memory, Barbara, Oh Dr Beeching, The Sandbaggers, Minder, Juliet Bravo and The Gentle Touch, Sherrie's talent for comedy saw her join the cast of the Russ Abbot's Madhouse series and she remained an integral part of his team for over ten years.

Sherrie is best known for her iconic portrayal of Maureen Holdsworth in Coronation Street. Other popular television roles include Lesley Meredith in Emmerdale, Virginia Raven in Crossroads, early television appearances in Z Cars, The Moonstone and Within These Walls and later parts in My Son My Son, Radio Phoenix, The Alan Bennett Series: Afternoon Off, Home to Roost and Singles.

For 10 years Sherrie made a niche as the comedy cornerstone of ITV’s hugely successful Loose Women. She published her own crime fiction novel The Tannery in 2009, her autobiography Sherrie – Behind the Laughter was a number 1 bestseller and she also released a cookbook of family recipes called Nana’s Kitchen. Sherrie was a contestant on ITV’s entertainment series Get Your Act Together, a housemate in Celebrity Big Brother 2015 and was recently on Celebrity 5 Go Caravanning on Channel 5.

Sherrie starred as Joyce Temple-Savage in Benidorm for six series, taking The Solana Resort by storm as the manager in ITV’s hit rated comedy and then in the sellout stage version. She also played the iconic role of Mrs Slocombe in the remake of the classic BBC sitcom Are You Being Served?

Jessica is most well known for her regular role, Tegan Lomax in channel 4’s Hollyoaks (2013-2018). Other TV credits include; Tina Leith in Doctors, Debs in EastEnders.

Theatre credits include; Karen in Defined by Design, Jessica in Boomerang & Jane in Beware Soft Mud (New York) at Old Vic: New Voices. Dellie in Roma & The Flannelettes, Beth in Dry Rot & Kate in Bedroom Farce at Theatre by the Lake. Claire in Assesment at The Kings Head Theatre.

Jessica has most recently finished filming feature film, Catherine called Birdy, which was written and directed by Lena Dunham.

Aside from Jessica’s acting career she also hosts her own podcast Dilemmas with Jess Ellis, which has been nominated for various podcast awards & has appeared as a contestant on Come Dine With Me, as well as Hollyoaks 20th Birthday Special & as a panellist on Big Brothers Bit On The Side.

Jess is very happy to be making her musical theatre debut with Fat Friends.

Les Dennis is one of the UK’s best-known entertainers with a career in showbusiness spanning 50 years. Born in Liverpool, he came to prominence as a comedian in the 1970s after honing his craft on the northern Working Men’s Club circuit and turning pro after a winning set on New Faces. He became a stalwart of Saturday night TV in the 80s and 90s, starring in comedies including The Russ Abbot Show and The Les Dennis Laughter Show, and most famously as the host of ITV’s Family Fortunes between 1987 and 2002.

In recent years Les has enjoyed a thriving career as an actor, starring with the Royal Shakespeare Company, and in numerous hit plays and musicals in the West End and on tour, as well as a regular role on Coronation Street.

He joins the cast of FAT FRIENDS straight from a stint with the English National Opera playing the lead role in HMS PINAFORE at the Coliseum, and from the West End production of HAIRSPRAY where he played opposite Michael Ball.

Theatre includes: HMS Pinafore (ENO), Hairspray (Coliseum), Venice Preserved and The Provoked Wife (RSC), End of the Pier (Park Theatre), The Miracle of Great Homer Street (Liverpool Royal Court), The Addams Family (Music and Lyrics), She Loves Me (Menier Chocolate Factory), Down the Dock Road (Liverpool Royal Court), The Perfect Murder (TPM Productions), Spamalot (ATG), Hairspray (UK tour), Jigsy (Liverpool Royal Court – Best Actor, LPD Arts), When We Are Married (WYP), Eurobeat (No. 1 tour/West End), Certified Male (Edinburgh Festival), The Servant of Two Masters (Wales Theatre Company), Marlon Brando’s Corset (Edinburgh Festival), Neville’s Island (Birmingham Rep), South Pacific (Birmingham Symphony), Art (UK tour), Cherished Disappointments in Love (Soho), Chicago (Adelphi), Just Between Ourselves (Theatre Royal Bath), Skylight (Watermill) and Me and My Girl (Adelphi). 

Film includes: Sideshow, Wounded (winner of Best Feature, Marbella Film Festival) and Intimate Relations. 

Television includes: Moving On, Birds of a Feather, Coronation Street, Holby City, Hotel Babylon, New Street Law, Extras, The Quest 2, Casualty, Mersey Beat, Doctors, Brookside, Les Dennis and Dustin Gee’s Laughter Show.

Trained at the Arts Educational Schools, London.

Theatre includes: Reverend Dobson in Anything Goes (Barbican Theatre), Sargeant of Police in Pirates of Penzance, Adrian in The Last Ship (Princess Toronto and US Tour), Zeke/ Lion in The Wizard of Oz (Pitlochry Festival Theatre), Spamilton at the Chocolate Factory, Sir Belvedere in Spamalot UK Tour, Sir Belvedere in Spamalot (Mercury Colchester), Alf in Peter and The Starcatcher (Northampton), Ed Bishop in Floyd Collins (Wilton's Music Hall), Ensemble in Jesus Christ Superstar (Bill Kenwright Tour), Ensemble in Sweeney Todd (English National Opera), Bystander in Assassins (Menier Chocolate Factory), Jesus Christ Superstar (Arena Tour, Really Useful Group), Porgy & Bess at the Royal Danish Opera, Emmeline/ Better/ Shilling/ Antimony in Christmas Carol (Birmingham Rep), Buster in The Color Purple (The Menier Chocolate Factory), Sparrow in Soul Man (Stephen Joseph Theatre), Alternate Clopin and Quasimodo in Notre Dame de Paris (Enzo Productions), Smokey Joe’s Cafe (Landor Theatre)(, Reuben in Joseph (UK Tour).

Marc would like to take this opportunity to thank all of his family and friends, teachers and mentors for their constant support.