Kinky Boots with Johannes Radebe to transfer to the West End

Johannes Radebe will make his West End musical debut in Kinky Boots.

Radebe is best known for his appearances on Strictly Come Dancing, where he reached the final in 2021 alongside John Whaite in the show’s first all-male partnership.

He will reprise the role of Lola at the London Coliseum from 17 March to 11 July 2026, having previously played the part on the current UK and Ireland tour.

The run will follow a week of previews back at Curve, Leicester (where the tour first opened) from 3 March 2026.

Kinky Boots features a book by Harvey Fierstein and a score by Cyndi Lauper. The production will be directed by Curve’s artistic director Nikolai Foster. Based on the 2005 film, the musical follows Charlie Price, who inherits a struggling shoe factory and teams up with drag performer Lola in an effort to save the business.

Radebe said: “I left my township in Zamdela at the age of 21 to dance in the ensemble on a cruise ship. Every night we did ABBA. That was my dream come true. Never then, nor since then, was it in my wildest dreams that I would have the opportunity to star in a musical in London’s West End. And not just any musical – my favourite musical. Kinky Boots.

“My involvement in Kinky Boots has been six years in the making, and Lola was the only role I ever wanted to play. Harvey Fierstein and Cyndi Lauper have written a show about accepting people for who they are, and the love our production has received across the UK has been overwhelming, beautiful and life changing.

“The theatre community has welcomed me, and I am having the time of my life. It is the greatest honour and responsibility to bring this show to the world famous, iconic London Coliseum. I’ll be walking in the footsteps of theatre and entertainment giants who have performed on that stage, and I’ll be doing it in my own sequined pair of red leather Kinky Boots. I cannot wait! Thank you and see you next year.”

Watch footage from the tour:

The production is directed by Foster with choreography by Leah Hill, set and costume design by Robert Jones, Lola and the Angels’ costume design by Tom Rogers musical supervision by George Dyer, lighting design by Ben Cracknell, sound design by Adam Fisher, casting by Harry Blumenau, wigs, hair and make-up design by Campbell Young Associates, with production management by Setting Line.

Further cast members are to be revealed.

Tickets go on sale on 15 July 2025. The production of Kinky Boots is presented by ROYO, Runaway Entertainment and Curve.

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