They've already lined up Jeff Wayne, Andy Scott, Jim Lea, Mike Batt and Sir Tim Rice for the project, tentatively entitled The David Essex Story, with more names to be added in due course.

Essex released his first single in 1965, aged 17, and played the lead role in musical Godspell six years later. In 1973 he led the stage version of The Who's Tommy then starred in the movie That'll Be The Day, returning for 1974 sequel Stardust. He played the Artilleryman in Wayne's 1978 The War Of The Worlds concept album. As a solo performer he's achieved 19 top 40 hit singles and 16 top 40 albums.