1st Night Photos: Mead’s Wicked Musical ReturnDate: 19 May 2010 Lee Mead returned to the musical stage last night (18 May 2010, previews from 10 May) when he took over as Fiyero in Wicked at the Apollo Victoria. It’s his first major musical since Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, for which he won the title role – and was catapulted to fame - via the BBC reality TV contest Any Dream Will Do. Amongst the many celebrities on hand last night to cheer Mead on were other would-be Josephs, Any Dream Will Do host Graham Norton and judge Denise Van Outen, who subsequently became Mead’s wife and mother to his baby daughter. Other new principals who’ve recently joined the Wicked cast include Rachel Tucker (who competed in the post-Any Dream BBC competition, I’d Do Anything) and Louise Dearman as witches Elphaba and Glinda, Julie Legrand and Clive Carter. Wicked tells the “untold story” of the Witches of Oz - popular blonde Glinda, aka the Good Witch of the North, and her spin-victim, green-skinned friend Elphaba – who were both immortalised in the 1939 film classic The Wizard of Oz. Amongst its many accolades to date, the West End production this year won the Whatsonstage.com Award for Best West End Show and the Laurence Olivier Award for Most Popular Show. TO SCROLL THROUGH LEE MEAD’s WICKED 1st NIGHT PHOTOS, JUST CLICK ON THE "NEXT >" LINKS BELOW THE FOLLOWING FRAME. PHOTOS BY DAN WOOLLER FOR WHATSONSTAGE.COM. - by Terri Paddock Related Content| Internal Links |  | Harriet Thorpe returns to play Madame Morrible in Wicked - 16th Apr 2013 news |  | Photos: West End Wicked celebrates five millionth visitor - 3rd Apr 2013 photos |  | Further venues confirmed for UK tour of Wicked - 1st Mar 2013 news |  | Wicked extends West End booking period to April 2014 - 11th Feb 2013 news |  | Photos: Stars out for Wicked Christmas gala - 21st Dec 2012 photos |  | Wicked embarks on first UK tour, September 2013 - 5th Nov 2012 news |  | Musicals Extend: Les Mis, Phantom & Wicked - 1st Oct 2012 news |  | Wicked flies out on first UK tour in 2013? - 22nd Aug 2012 gossip |  | Cast: Freeman, Plowright & Lupton join Wicked, Rowley Jones returns - 8th Aug 2012 news |  | Louise Dearman makes history in Wicked, swaps Glinda for Elphaba - 3rd Aug 2012 news |  | Louise Dearman back in Wicked... as Elphaba? - 3rd Aug 2012 gossip |  | Time Out TV: Behind-the-scenes with Matt Willis at Wicked - 1st May 2012 tv |  | A wedding & Awards in West End - 20th Feb 2012 blog |  | Photos: Matt Willis & Gina Beck join West End Wicked - 27th Jan 2012 photos |  | Musicals extend: Wicked books through Olympics, American Idiot adds week - 23rd Jan 2012 news |  | Photos: Andrew Lloyd Webber's reality casting recruits - 18th Jan 2012 photos |  | Photos: Wicked Stars Past & Present Celebrate Fifth Birthday - 28th Sep 2011 news |  | Brief Encounter With ... Composer & Conductor Marvin Hamlisch - 26th Sep 2011 interviews |  | Gina Beck & Matt Willis Join West End Wicked, 12 Dec - 14th Sep 2011 news |  | Photos: Popstars Pop Up for Pudsey in West End Musicals - 31st Aug 2011 news |  | Cast: Tucker & Crawford Extend, Full CFT Sweeney - 2nd Aug 2011 news |  | Theatregoers Meet Wicked Stars at WOS Outing - 11th May 2011 blog |  | Photos: Evans, Rainey & Stott Join Wicked Cast - 18th Feb 2011 photos |  | Musicals Extend: Love Post Oliviers & Wicked - 9th Feb 2011 news |  | Lion & Wicked Report Record Sales for 2010 - 5th Jan 2011 news |  | Musicals Extend: Wicked, Mamma, Phantom, Guys - 28th Sep 2010 news |  | Jesus Christ & Lee Mead Top WOS Reality TV Poll - 30th Jun 2010 news |  | Wicked Returns Lee Mead to Musicals, Full Cast - 28th Jan 2010 news |  | Cast: Tucker Is Wicked Elphaba, Hairspray Tour - 15th Jan 2010 news |  | Wicked    - 26th Jul 2007 reviews |  | Review Round-up: Did Wicked Bewitch the Critics? - 28th Sep 2006 roundup |

Reader Comments
| Comment | Date | | I saw Lewis Bradley who was standin for Lee mead I thought he was as good as lee would have been. - wendy hayne | 28 Sep 10 |
| | Great to see Lee Mead back in the West End. he is a good performer and sure he will be good in WICKED. He was great as Joseph and recently saw him in a non musical part in Lord Arthur Saville's Crime and was very good in it. Good Luck Lee - Joe Spiteri | 20 May 10 |
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