Samantha Womack is set to star in 'The Addams Family' musical.
Samantha Womack
The 'EastEnders' actress is set to bow out of the long-running soap as feisty blonde bombshell Ronnie Mitchell early next year and, although she only made the announcement last month, she's already been snapped up to portray Morticia Addams in the ghoulish production.
Samantha isn't the only big name to join the show either, as 'Coronation Street' star Les Dennis will portray Uncle Fester, while Tom Fletcher's sister Carrie Hope has also agreed to star in the musical.
The show, directed by Matthew White, will launch at the Festival Theatre in Edinburgh on April 20, 2017, but the first official first night will be held at New Wimbledon Theatre on May 16.
However, although they've secured their cast, producers are still being struck blows as the script - penned by Marshall Brickman, Rick Ellce and Andrew Lippa - is said to have had extensive re-writes since it was criticised following its stint on Broadway, according to the Daily Mail newspaper.
Meanwhile, Samantha's gig on stage will be her first major role after her exit from the soap.
It's not yet known how the 44-year-old actress will bow out of the programme but it's believed her alter-ego, which she has played for nine years, will meet a grisly end at the start of 2017 along with her sister Roxy Mitchell (Rita Simons) when they take their final breaths under water.
Rita has also decided to take a similar route after her exit as she too will join a West End production.
The 39-year-old actress is set to portray Paulette, the beautiful manicurist looking for love, in the theatrical version of the hit film 'Legally Blonde' for seven months from next September.
The production will kick off in Bromley towards the end of 2017 and will tour the UK, stopping off at theatres in High Wycombe, Bristol and Woking among other major venues until April 2018.
Tagged in Les Dennis Samantha Womack Tom Fletcher