Working Title have confirmed plans for a new musical expected to hit the West End towards the end of 2011. Bridget Jones’ Diary is the latest screen adaptation, and the new musical will feature pop music by Lily Allen. Theatre tickets are expected to go on sale early next year.

The production is currently being worked out in London by Billy Elliot director and choreographer Stephen Daldry and Peter Darling. Sheridan Smith (Legally blonde, Little Shop of Horrors) is expected to lead a star studded cast including Bertie Carvel as Mark Darcy and Julian Ovenden as Daniel Cleaver.

Bridget Jones’ Diary was the best-selling novel by author Helen Fielding, who will be writing the book and lyrics for the musical. In 2001 it was later made into a successful film starring Renee Zellweger, Hugh Grant and Colin Firth. The story follows the trial and tribulations of thirty-something singleton Bridget, living and working in London and on a quest for the perfect man.

Lily Allen will collaborate with Greg Kurtin, putting together a collection of songs for the production. Julian Webber works with Fielding on the lyrics and book, and commented So far the workshops have been designed to “see if everybody likes each other and creatively can work together … This is exactly what we did with Billy, which was to try to gauge what can and what can’t work. Essentially, it’s going to be an elaborate read-through with a bit of choreography.”

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