POP Idol star Gareth Gates was today named as the replacement for Lee Mead in the West End hit production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat.

Gates, who finished runner-up to Will Young in the first-ever Pop idol in 2002, will take over from reality show winner Lee Mead in February.

The Tim Rice/Andrew Lloyd Webber musical will be Gates' West End debut and after hearing he had won the part, he said: "I have a lot to thank Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat for, as it is the reason I first started singing, after being chosen to play the lead in a school production when I was eight years old.

"Ever since then it's been a dream of mine to appear in a West End musical. I am really honoured to be appearing at the Adelphi, stepping into that famous coat and really can't wait to get stuck in!"

Before that, Gareth will star in Cinderella at the Wimbledon Theatre with Joanna Page and Alistair McGowan.

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat has been doing sell-out business since it opened earlier this year with Lee Mead, winner of the BBC's star search show Any Dream Will Do, in the starring role.

Mead will leave the show on January 9 with Gates' first appearance scheduled for February 9.

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* Evening performances of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at the Adelphi Theatre are at 7.30pm on Mondays & Wednesdays–Saturdays, 7.00pm on Tuesdays, and with matinees at 3.00pm on Wednesdays & Saturdays. Tickets, priced from £15.00-£45.00 for Monday–Thursday performances and £15.00-£49.50 for Friday–Saturday performances, are available from the Adelphi Theatre Box Office on 0870 895 5598 and online at www.josephthemusical.com.