Kaiser Chiefs frontman Ricky Wilson is set to appear as Teen Angel in the returning production of Grease: The Immersive Movie Musical.
The I Predict a Riot singer had a minor role in a school production of jukebox musical Grease and admitted he only took it to woo a girl he fancied.
He jokingly admitted he wants to “redeem myself” in the Secret Cinema and TodayTix production, which is returning with a run at Evolution London in Battersea Park from July 22 to September 13, by proving he’s worthy of being the main character.
Reflecting on joining the cast, the Ruby hitmaker said: “At school I was in Grease and I feel I have to redeem myself. I was not yet the international pop sensation I am today and I only really wanted to do it cos I fancied the girl who played Frenchie (I was Doody) so this is my chance to show everyone I should have got a bigger part. I don’t believe anyone from that production is now a professional singer, so in short, I win.”
The Everyday I Love You Less and Less singer has previously taken on a number of acting and stage roles. He appeared in St Trinian’s 2: The Legend of Fritton’s Gold as the rock‑star boyfriend of Sarah Harding’s character, Roxy. Wilson has also spoken on his Radio X show about being cast to front a wizard band in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1, before the sequence was replaced with CGI instruments. Although often linked to a cameo as Dirk Cresswell, the musician has denied this, saying the character was played by an unnamed actor.
Between November 2012 and January 2013, the Oh My God singer played the Artilleryman in Jeff Wayne’s Musical Version of The War of the Worlds – The New Generation. He and Kaiser Chiefs bassist Simon Rix also wrote and performed the theme tune for Zig and Zag.
The former Voice UK coach worked as an art teacher before Kaiser Chiefs got their big break in the early 2000s.