Sheridan Smith is returning to London's West End.
Sheridan Smith
The 37-year-old actress admitted she is "nervous" about going back to the stage as the Narrator in a new version of 'Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat' as it will be her first time working in London theatre since her troubled run in 2016's 'Funny Girl', which saw her pull out of several weeks of performances due to stress and exhaustion.
She admitted: "I was nervous about going back into theatre in London."
But Sheridan, who now lives on a farm outside of London with her boyfriend Jamie Horn, admitted her life has changed a lot since the difficult period in her life.
She told the Daily Mail newspaper: "I'm often in bed by eight. Most importantly, my sanity has returned."
The 'Moorside' actress was attracted to the role because she has never performed at the London Palladium before, and director Laurence Connor and producer Michael Harrison have promised to expand the part of the Narrator.
And Sheridan also appreciates the fact she will just be part of an ensemble, rather than the lead star, and is thankful it is a relatively short run.
She explained: "If you sign for a musical, you've got to do a year. But this is a summer season, for ten-and-a-half weeks.
"Plus, it's lovely to be part of an ensemble -- it's a nice way of going back into the West End where there won't be the pressure of me carrying a show.
"I can't believe that there's no talking -- just singing. And the songs are catchy! Everyone knows that because we all did Joseph when we were at school."
And the show also offers a sense of "nostalgia" for the star, as she can remember going on a school trip to see Phillip Schofield in the lead role of the production.
She said: "For me, it's like the most nostalgic show.
"Later, we did it at school. I wore a purple T-shirt. It's all coming back . . . I remember singing Go-Go-Go Joseph with the other children."
Sheridan will begin rehearsals for the show in May ahead of previews commencing in late June.
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