Ole Blue Eyes Stephen steps in to do it his way in a Rat Pack tribute show

He’s a last minute stand-in for Irish star Garrett Phillips who has had to withdraw from the show's Grand Theatre run due to illness.

Stephen was one of the Rat Pack Live’s original stars, playing 1,000-plus shows in the West End.

He came to fame on Stars In Their Eyes in 2000, winning his heat and polling 400,000 votes to set him on the road to a new career.

Soon after, Stephen starred as Frank in an Atlantic City show The Main Event, and two years later headlining at The Venetian on the Las Vegas Strip - the hotel which now stands on the site of the original Sands Hotel where the Rat Pack famously performed.

Also starring in the tour will be Nigel Casey as Dean Martin and David Hayes as Sammy Davis Jr, with Nicola Emmanuelle joining the show as Ella Fitzgerald in celebration of the First Lady of Song and Queen of Jazz.

This new edition of the show will feature extra songs such as Night And Day, The Lady Is A Tramp, Mack The Knife and S’Wonderful, with Ella duetting with Frank and Sammy.

Completing the cast are Joanna Walters, Amelia Adams, Rebecca Parker and Laura Darton as The Burrelli Sisters.

Director/choreographer Mitch Sebastian said: "We are thrilled to introduce Ella Fitzgerald to the show.

"The recipient of 13 Grammy Awards and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, Ella was an artist Frank respected – ‘the best way to start any evening is with this girl.

"It don’t get better than this’, he says on one recording. The warmth of their friendship really shines through on the many videos of their amazing performances together."

* The Rat Pack Live, Grand Theatre, Blackpool. Tonight until Saturday. Call 01253 290190 to book.