A lavish new production of Barnum: The Circus Musical is touring the UK and visiting Birmingham Hippodrome this month. The production follows the life of iconic entertainer PT Barnum, who changed the face of entertainment in the 19th century with his travelling circus, branded The Greatest Show On Earth. One-time Any Dream Will Do star Lee Mead plays the title character - a role which has been a long time coming...

Lee Mead started his life as an entertainer early. When he was around 13, he appeared in a school production of Barnum in his home town of Southend-on-Sea.

“I had such a brilliant time,” he recalls. “I thought the story and the characters were wonderful. And it had all these fantastic songs, like Come Follow The Band, The Colours Of My Life and There Is A Sucker Born Ev'ry Minute.”

Lee played the show-hosting Ringmaster, while his friend Chris was given the title role.  “And he was a great Barnum,” Lee smiles, “but I remember thinking ‘It would be lovely to play that part one day.’” 

Now aged 44, his wish has finally come true as he headlines a lavish new UK tour of the classic musical.

With music by Cy Coleman, lyrics by Michael Stewart and a book by Mark Bramble, Barnum - The Circus Musical is about legendary American showman PT Barnum, who revolutionised entertainment in the 1800s through the Barnum & Bailey Circus, branded The Greatest Show On Earth.

The musical premiered on Broadway in 1980, and was a huge hit the following year when Michael Crawford took the lead at the London Palladium.

It has been revived around the world numerous times since, and now Lee steps into the ring for the 2026 tour.

“It's an absolute classic. I can't quite believe I now get to play Barnum some 30 years after that school production. I think I must have somehow manifested it.”

Barnum is directed by Jonathan O'Boyle (The Last Five Years), choreographed by Strictly Come Dancing's Oti Mabuse and features more than 20 actor-musicians alongside acrobats and international circus acts.

Getting to star in it isn't just a dream come true for the Any Dream Will Do talent show winner - he also sees it as a homage to his grandad Bert and his grandma Lil. 

“They saved up for a year and a half to see Barnum at the London Palladium, and they loved it. It stayed with them their whole lives. Sadly they're no longer with us, but I know they would have been so proud to see me in it. Every performance is going to be for them.”

Since coming to fame in Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat in 2007 - after he won the public vote on the aforementioned BBC talent show, and played the lead at London's Adelphi Theatre - Lee has starred in Wicked, Legally Blonde, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Chicago and Sister Act, to name just a few of his many credits. 

“This is definitely my most challenging role,” he admits. “It's one of those rare roles for a leading man. It's an enormous part, with huge monologues and so many songs, and I don't think I leave the stage for two hours - apart from the interval, of course.”

Then there's the tightrope walking, for which Lee has had months of intense training. 

“It's the kind of thing you learn at 24, not 44,” he laughs, “so I've had to get myself fit and put in the work.

The rope is about 7ft off the ground and, although I trained with a harness on, there's no harness during the show itself. You have to use your whole body, your whole core and every ounce of your focus and energy to get across that wire - but I like a challenge!”

PT Barnum was played by Hugh Jackman in the big-screen blockbuster The Greatest Showman, and as in the film, the musical looks at the real man behind the on-stage persona. He had a wife named Charity but also became infatuated with Swedish singer Jenny Lind. 

“He's a flawed character, as most human beings are. As an actor, it's interesting to explore that side of him alongside all the spectacle. It makes for great drama.

“It was interesting to learn about Barnum's tenacity and his drive, which I think you have to have to be as successful as he was. At times he kind of put his wife to one side, even though she was so supportive and loving, so I guess you could say that he was very selfish. But he wanted the world to see all these amazing acts that he brought together, like the oldest woman in the world - Joice Heth - and General Tom Thumb. It was his passion.”

Asked if he has a favourite number in the show, Lee picks The Colours Of My Life.  “The melody is beautiful. It's about Barnum trying to explain to Charity why he’s the way he is, with all the different colours to him as a person, and why he wants to light people up, entertain them and make them happy.”

Any Dream Will Do saw Lee rocket to stardom - after competing for a panel that included Andrew Lloyd Webber and Bill Kenwright - and he hasn't stopped working since.

“It was a bit of a blur, although I remember certain moments in detail, so it was very surreal. You never think anything like that would ever happen to you, and the TV show was seen by around 13 million viewers every week. Even now, 18 years later, I get people stopping me in the street or at the supermarket and saying that they voted for me. I feel very blessed, because it opened up all the parts that have come my way since.”

His subsequent career highlights include performing at the Palladium on his 40th birthday with a full orchestra - following in the footsteps of legends like Frank Sinatra and Judy Garland - and singing in front of the Queen and the royal family at the Royal British Legion's Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall in 2019. He also fondly remembers playing Caractacus Potts in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang: “I remember seeing it as a teenager, with Michael Ball in the lead, and thinking ‘I'm going to play that role one day.’ Again, as with Barnum, I must have manifested it somehow.”

Lee’s TV work includes stints as Nurse Lofty Chiltern on Casualty and Holby City. 

“I played Lofty for five years in total, but I've had more people stop me and ask about Motherland, even though I was only in one episode. That's the one thing in my career that I haven't done yet that I would love to do - to have a recurring role in a sitcom.”

For now, though, he's busy with Barnum and is looking forward to taking the show around the country - although, as a father to 14-year-old Betsy, and soon-to-be stepfather to his fiancéé Issy's son Alfie, life on the road can be bitter-sweet. 

“Being away from home can be hard, but Issy and the kids will be coming along to the show a few times. Plus, I get to be in one of the greatest, most iconic musicals ever. I'm still in shock that I've landed the part, to be honest, and I can't wait to take it around the country and to see the smiles on the audience's faces.”

Barnum shows at Birmingham Hippodrome from Tuesday 21 April to Saturday 25 April