BENIDORM star Tony Maudsley heads the cast of smash-hit musical Hairspray which will be staged at the Liverpool Empire as part of its UK tour later this year.

The Liverpool-born actor plays Edna Turnblad in the show - based on the hugely successful 1988 film - which will be staged at the city centre venue from October 12–17.

Also in the cast are Liverpool actress Claire Sweeeney as Velma Von Tussle, former Blue Peter presenter Peter Duncan as Wilbur and Freya Sutton as Tracy Turnblad.

Looking forward to taking part, Tony - who will start work on series ten of hit ITV comedy Benidorm later this year - told the Globe: "It's 12 years since I've been on stage, because I've been so busy with 'Benidorm' filming, and I'm looking forward to getting back on there, but it's a terrifying prospect."

The show is set in Baltimore in 1962, where Tracy Turnblad, a big girl with big hair and an even bigger heart, is on a mission to follow her dreams and dance her way onto national TV.

Tracy's audition makes her a local star and soon she is using her new-found fame to fight for equality, bagging local heartthrob Link Larkin along the way.

The musical is based on the 1988 film of the same name which starred Divine and Ricki Lake.

It features music and lyrics by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman and book by Mark O’Donnell and Thomas Meehan. The show originally opened to rave reviews on Broadway in 2002 and subsequently won eight Tony Awards.

On taking on the part of Edna, Tony Maudsley continued: "The are high expectations with the character of Edna Turnblad - particularly after fantastic interpretations from the likes of Michael Ball - but this is my opportunity to make the character my own.

"Too often she's been played as a two-dimensional drag queen. But I see her as a shrinking wallflower. I want the audience to have a real emotional attachment to her."

Tony plays Kenneth in Benidorm and joined the cast in series four. He is still there five series later.

He told the Globe: "My loyalty is to Benidorm, in fact we're going back out there to do another series. There are not many shows in the ninth series. I have loved every minute of it."

Hairspray opened in London at the Shaftesbury Theatre in 2007 and won four Laurence Olivier Awards including Best New Musical.

Proving to be an international success, it has also opened in South Africa, Japan, South Korea, China and Dubai. Following the musical’s phenomenal success on stage, a film of the musical was released in 2007, starring John Travolta, Michelle Pfeiffer and James Marsden.

Tickets for Hairspray are from the Liverpool Empire box office on 0844 871 3017 or www.atgtickets.com/liverpool