West End's Brightest Compete on UK WEAKEST LINK 12/31

UK theatre website WhatsOnStage.com reports that a number of West End musical stars recorded a special edition of the BBC's Weakest Link quiz show, due for broadcast on New Year's Eve.

Ryan Molloy (Jersey Boys), Ben Ellis (Hairspray), Summer Strallen (The Sound of Music), Rachel Tucker (We Will Rock You), Joanna Munro (Mamma Mia!), Simon Bailey (The Phantom of the Opera), Mark Goldthorp (Avenue Q), Dianne Pilkington (Wicked) and Matt Rawle (Zorro) all were part of the taping reveals WhatsOnStage.

Each contestant appeared in character and several of them sang numbers from their respective shows. Weakest Link host Anne Robinson was ready with her usual clutch of put-downs, including asking Birmingham-born Matt Rawle "did you learn your sword skills in Dudley?" 

WhatsOnStage described other highlights including current Maria Summer Strallen following in her aunt Bonnie Langford's footsteps by placing her leg behind her head (Langford did this during her winning appearance on the show in 2007). And Andrew Bailey, who plays Raoul in The Phantom of the Opera sang a very personal ode to the hostess by adapting the closing lines of his song to "Annie ... that's all I ask of you".

The special theatre themed Weakest Link broadcast will air on BBC One at 8pm on December 31st 2008.

For more information visit, www.whatsonstage.com.

Photo of Matt Rawle by Nigel Norrington/Camera Press/Retna