Spamalot star looking forward Venue Cymru performance

Dec 16 2010

DON’T be surprised if you spot a famous face browsing the rails in shops in Llandudno next month – it could be singer Jodie Prenger hunting down a bargain.

She’s in town for a week with spoof musical Spamalot, in which she plays The Lady of the Lake. Alongside her will be Matthew Kelly, newly cast as Arthur in the show that freely admits to being a rip-off of the Monty Python film about King Arthur’s quest for the Holy Grail.

She first shot to fame as Nancy in the West End stage revival of Oliver after winning BBC talent show I’d Do Anything. She was singing in clubs and bars when her mum persuaded her to enter the contest, which was judged by Andrew Lloyd Webber. And she’s also the one to make sure Jodie keeps her feet on the ground.

"My mum would whack me round the head if I got starry," she says.

"I don’t think there’s much danger of it. I still shop at Asda and Dorothy Perkins. There’s nothing like a bargain."

Jodie admits to self- esteem issues at school because she was overweight, but transformed herself by losing half her body weight four years ago, going from 18 stone to nine, winning The Biggest Loser on Living TV.

Oliver was produced by Cameron MacKintosh who reportedly had in mind a younger, thinner girl for the role, but it was the public who took Jodie to their hearts and voted her a star.

She won critical acclaim in Oliver, recently returned for guest appearances, and says MacKintosh is "still so supportive".

"I’ve been to his house, he gives me advice and recently sent me a couple of songs he thought would suit me," Jodie says.

After Spamalot, she’s on TV screens again in BBC comedy drama Candy Cabs, about an all-female cab company.

"I never thought any of this would happen to me and sometimes I still can’t believe it," she says.

"I’ve truly fulfilled my dreams, which sounds so soppy but it’s true. My mantra has always been ’keep going no matter what, and when you feel at your weakest it’s the time to be at your strongest’, and I think that’s stood me in good stead."

She’s just found love with a new boyfriend and the other passion in her life is animals – she’s celebrity judge for Drontal’s My Pet Superstar, a nationwide search for the UK’s top dog and cat.

She was brought up in an animal-loving family – the current menagerie includes parrots, budgies, tortoises, rabbits, chickens, fish and dogs – and she has her own dog, a Yorkshire terrier puppy called Hogan.

"He’s my pal and a real diva," she says.

"He’s handbag sized so I have a pram for him when I’m out and about in London as he can get easily trodden on. It’s like a large playpen on wheels and he loves it.

"I’m a bit protective of him, but he’s not a surrogate baby or anything. I believe in treating animals like animals and so he’s trained and can do all sorts of tricks."

Spamalot, Llandudno Venue Cymru, January 17-22, tickets 01492 87200 venuecymru.co.uk