Award winning comedian Jason Manford will star in a brand new U.K. Tour of The Producers. Based on Mel Brooks’ beloved Academy Award winning movie, The Producers is a hilarious musical comedy that has taken Broadway and the West End by storm, winning a record-breaking 12 Tony Awards and 3 Olivier Awards; it opens its U.K tour in March 2015.

Jason Manford, one of the U.K.’s best loved comedians, will take on the role of downtrodden accountant Leo Bloom in his first ever musical theatre U.K. tour. Mr. Manford’s wealth of experience spans from a critically acclaimed West End role in Sweeney Todd, alongside Michael Ball and Imelda Staunton, to award-winning stand-up comedy shows across the country. He shot to stardom in 2007 as team captain on C4’s 8 Out of 10 Cats, since then he has hosted prime time television shows including Sunday Night at the Palladium, B.B.C.1’s A Question of Sport: Super Saturday and The Royal Variety Performance. Jason was the winner of I.T.V.1’s Born to Shine and will star in B.B.C. TV’s forthcoming drama Ordinary Lies.

Jason said; “I’m so thrilled to be starring in my favourite musical of all time. Mel Brooks is a genius and I’m so excited to be playing the iconic role he created. The show is a riot of laughs from start to finish.”

Impoverished by a string of flops, New York producer Max Bialystock recruits timid accountant Leo Bloom to help him pull off Broadway’s greatest scam. Together they aim to produce the worst show ever and run away to Rio with millions, but they learn that Showbusiness can always find a way to kick you in the teeth.

Mel Brooks said; “It’s brilliant to see ‘The Producers’ being brought to life again with this new production and I can’t wait to see what Jason Manford brings to the role of Leo.”

From the producer of sell-out successes Midnight Tango and Dance ’Til Dawn and acclaimed Top Hat director Matthew White, The Producers features a riotous mix of eccentric characters and show stopping songs that will have you toe-tapping your way through the brilliant world of Broadway. Featuring the all-time classic Springtime For Hitler, The Producers may be the funniest Broadway musical of all time and this brand new production is destined to delight British audiences with its breathless combination of song, dance and laughter.

Further star casting to be announced!

Tickets are on sale now.