Michael Ball
(October 2006)
Background information
Birth name	Michael Ashley Ball
Born	27 June 1962 (1962-06-27) (age 46)
Origin	Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, England
Genre(s)	Vocal, pop, rock, comedy, musical theatre
Occupation(s)	Singer, actor, radio and television presenter
Years active	1984 – present
Label(s)	Universal
Website	Official site

Michael Ashley Ball (born 27 June 1962, Bromsgrove, Worcestershire) is an English actor, singer, and radio and TV presenter who is best known for the song "Love Changes Everything" and musical theatre roles such as Marius in Les Misérables, Alex in Aspects of Love, Caractacus Potts in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Edna Turnblad in Hairspray for which he won the 2008 Laurence Olivier Award for best actor in a musical.^[1][2] Michael Ball may refer to: Michael Ball (singer), singer and actor Michael Ball (footballer), English football (soccer) player Michael Ball (clergyman), Bishop of Truro, 1990–1997 Michael Ball (fashion mogul), CEO of Rock and Republic Mike Ball, humorist and columnist Categories: ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 470 × 600 pixelsFull resolution‎ (1,172 × 1,496 pixels, file size: 658 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Other versions This is a cropped and digitally enhanced photo of Image:Michael Ball and Noyes -Cardiff 21Oct2006. ... is the 178th day of the year (179th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1962 (MCMLXII) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... , Bromsgrove is a town in Worcestershire, West Midlands, England. ... For the condiment, see Worcestershire sauce. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... In music a singer or vocalist is a type of musician who sings, i. ... This article is about the genre of popular music. ... This article is about the genre. ... A comedy is a dramatic performance of a light and amusing character, usually with a happy conclusion to its plot. ... The Black Crook (1866), considered by some historians to be the first musical[1] Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining music, songs, spoken dialogue and dance. ... Harry Belafonte singing, photograph by C. van Vechten Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, which is often contrasted with speech. ... Actors in period costume sharing a joke whilst waiting between takes during location filming. ... A television presenter is a British term for a person who is known for introducing or hosting television programmes. ... In the music industry, a record label can be a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. ... Look up universal in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... is the 178th day of the year (179th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1962 (MCMLXII) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... , Bromsgrove is a town in Worcestershire, West Midlands, England. ... For the condiment, see Worcestershire sauce. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... Actors in period costume sharing a joke whilst waiting between takes during location filming. ... Harry Belafonte singing, photograph by C. van Vechten Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, which is often contrasted with speech. ... A television presenter is a British term for a person who is known for introducing or hosting television programmes. ... The Black Crook (1866), considered by some historians to be the first musical[1] Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining music, songs, spoken dialogue and dance. ... Marius Pontmercy is a principal character in Victor Hugos 1862 novel Les Misérables. ... Les Misérables (pronunciation ), colloquially known as Les Mis, is a musical composed in 1980 by French composer Claude-Michel Schönberg on a libretto by Alain Boublil. ... Aspects of Love is a chamber opera with a book and music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Don Black and Charles Hart. ... Chitty the Musical is a stage musical based on the story Chitty Chitty Bang Bang by Ian Fleming and the 1968 film produced by Cubby Broccoli. ... Hairspray is a musical with music by Marc Shaiman, lyrics by Scott Wittman and Shaiman and a book by Mark ODonnell and Thomas Meehan, based on the 1988 John Waters movie Hairspray. ... The Laurence Olivier Awards, previously known as The Society of West End Theatre Awards, were renamed in honour of British actor Laurence Olivier, Baron Olivier in 1984, having first been established in 1976. ...

Early life

Ball was born in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, England, of a Welsh mother, and an English father. Ball's father trained as an Austin apprentice at the Longbridge plant and went on to become a successful business man; although, he had originally wanted to be an actor. Ball's maternal grandfather was a coal miner. His maternal grandmother was protective of the family. Ball has a sister about nine years younger than himself. He moved to Dartmoor with his parents when he was three years old. He has never had singing lessons, but as a boy he learned to sing by singing along to music; for example, songs by Ella Fitzgerald, Mahalia Jackson, and Frank Sinatra. When he was 11 years old he went to Plymouth College, an independent boarding school, because his parents thought this would give him a good education, but he did not fit into the academic and sporting environment at the school at that time, and he was unhappy there.^[1] , Bromsgrove is a town in Worcestershire, West Midlands, England. ... This article is about Welsh people who are considered to be an ethnic group and a nation. ... The Austin Motor Company was a British manufacturer of automobiles that rose to be a major motorcar brand, the dominant partner after merger with Morris in 1952 but declining after absorption into the British Leyland Motor Corporation, and its subsequent troubles. ... The Longbridge plant was a large industrial site in the Longbridge area of Birmingham, England. ... Surface coal mining in Wyoming in the United States of America. ... High Willhays, the highest point on Dartmoor and southern England at 621 m (2037 ft) above sea level, with Yes Tor beyond. ... Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April 25, 1917 – June 15, 1996), also known as Lady Ella and the First Lady of Song, is considered one of the most influential jazz vocalists of the 20th Century. ... Mahalia Jackson (October 26, 1911[1] – January 27, 1972) was an American Grammy Award-winning gospel singer, widely regarded as the best in the history of the genre and is the first Queen of Gospel Music. Mahalia Jackson became one of the most influential gospel singers in the world. ... Sinatra redirects here. ... Plymouth College main building at dusk Plymouth College (PMC) is a co-educational independent school in Plymouth, Devon, England for day and boarding pupils from the ages of 11 to 18. ...

Ball was interested in the theatre and his father took him to see shows in the school holidays, including a Royal Shakespeare Company production at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon of King Lear, which impressed him as a youngster of about 14 years old. He joined a youth theatre, which lead to him studying drama at the Guildford School of Acting, where he found an environment that suited him. As a student he went busking on Saturday's in Guildford town with a female student friend to earn a little extra money. He graduated in 1984.^[1] Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) is a British theatre company. ... Stratford-upon-Avon Stratford-upon-Avon is a town in Warwickshire, England. ... For other uses, see King Lear (disambiguation). ... Guildford School of Acting is a drama school located in Guildford, Surrey, England. ... Busking is the practice of doing live performances in public places to entertain people, usually to solicit donations and tips. ... , For other places with the same name, see Guildford (disambiguation). ...

After graduation Ball's singing career rapidly got off-the-ground. His maternal grandmother having a musical ear was proud of Ball's early singing achievements; however, she died suddenly of a heart attack about one week before Ball's debut in The Pirates of Penzance. His parents were proud of him too, and they were also relieved that his singing had brought a sense of direction to his life.^[1] Heart attack redirects here. ...

Theatre

In 1984, after leaving drama school, Ball's first part was in Godspell at Aberystwyth Arts Centre and then he worked for a few months in rep in Basingstoke,^[3] but his first major break was a star part in the production of The Pirates of Penzance at the Opera House, Manchester; at an open audition he was selected from about 600 applicants who all formed a queue to do singing, acting and dancing interviews which were held in three separate rooms. His next important role came when Sir Cameron Mackintosh cast him as Marius in the original London cast of Les Misérables, but he caught glandular fever and he took about six or seven weeks off-sick owing to the associated tonsillitis and post-viral fatigue. When he returned to work he was still suffering from fatigue, and on stage he started getting panic attacks; awful overwhelming anxiety, a rapid heart beat, sweating, and problems with vision. These also started happening at other times, such as when he was going to work. For most of the next nine months he lived alone in his flat feeling depressed; he did not seek therapy and he left Les Misérables.^[1] Godspell is a 1970 play by John-Michael Tebelak. ... Drawing of the Act I finale The Pirates of Penzance, or The Slave of Duty, is a comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert. ... This article is about the City of Manchester in England. ... Sir Cameron Mackintosh (born 17 October 1946) is a successful British theatrical producer. ... Marius Pontmercy is a principal character in Victor Hugos 1862 novel Les Misérables. ... Les Misérables (pronunciation ), colloquially known as Les Mis, is a musical composed in 1980 by French composer Claude-Michel Schönberg on a libretto by Alain Boublil. ... Infectious Mononucleosis, also known as mono (in North America. ... Tonsillitis is an inflammation of the tonsils in the mouth and will often, but not necessarily, cause a sore throat and fever. ... Categories: Medicine stubs | Immune system ... Panic attacks are sudden, discrete periods of intense anxiety, mounting physiological arousal, fear, stomach problems (spastic colon) and discomfort that are associated with a variety of somatic and cognitive symptoms. ...

Thames Television invited Ball to sing during the Miss England contest, a live televised event, and he sang well enough despite suffering from anxiety. When he viewed a recording later, he realised that no one would have noticed how nervous he was, and he became less worried about his anxiety problem.^[1] At about that time, Sir Cameron asked Ball to play Raoul in the second casting of Phantom of the Opera in London, which was necessary after Michael Crawford (who played the Phantom) and Steve Barton (who played Raoul) left the London show to appear in the Broadway staging in New York City. Sir Cameron thought that Ball would not be under too much pressure as Raoul, and that the part was right for Ball.^[1] Thames Television was a franchise holder of the British ITV television network, serving London on weekdays between 1968 and 1992. ... The Miss England competition is an annual beauty pageant targeted at young females aged 17-24 years living in England. ... The Phantom of the Opera is a musical and operetta by Andrew Lloyd Webber, based on the novel by French novelist Gaston Leroux. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... Michael Crawford (right) as Frank Spencer in Some Mothers Do Ave Em Michael Crawford, OBE (born Michael Patrick Dumble-Smith, 19 January 1942 in Salisbury, Wiltshire), is an English actor and singer. ... Steve Barton (June 26, 1954 - July 21, 2001) was an actor, singer, dancer, choreographer, stage director and teacher. ... For other uses of Broadway, see Broadway. ... New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ...

Ball also played Alex in Aspects of Love, both in London and New York, and Giorgio in the London production of Stephen Sondheim's Passion. Alone Together was his one-man show first performed at The Donmar Warehouse (which was reprised in 2004 for the Singular Sensations season at the Haymarket). In 2002 he took on the role of Caractacus Potts in the Sherman Brothers musical, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang which was largely considered his comeback role. In 2005, with 10 days' notice, he replaced Michael Crawford, who had to leave the show due to ill health, as Count Fosco in The Woman in White. Aspects of Love is a chamber opera with a book and music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Don Black and Charles Hart. ... Stephen Joshua Sondheim (b. ... Pasión es una obra musical que se estreno en Broadway en 1994, adaptada de la película de Ettore Scola Passione dAmore que, a su vez , se basa en la novela de Igino Tarchetti Fosca. Con libreto de James Lapine y música y letras de Stephen Sondheim. ... The Donmar Warehouse is a small theatre in the Covent Garden area of the West End of London. ... Caractacus Potts was the main character in the musical Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. ... Robert B. Sherman & Richard M. Sherman at the London Palladium in 2002 during the premiere of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang: The Stage Musical. ... Chitty the Musical is a stage musical based on the story Chitty Chitty Bang Bang by Ian Fleming and the 1968 film produced by Cubby Broccoli. ... Michael Crawford (right) as Frank Spencer in Some Mothers Do Ave Em Michael Crawford, OBE (born Michael Patrick Dumble-Smith, 19 January 1942 in Salisbury, Wiltshire), is an English actor and singer. ... Original logo for the musical The Woman in White. ...

Other performances include singing at the BBC's St David's Day concert, in the role of Marius at the Les Miserables - The Dream Cast in Concert, the tenth anniversary concert of Les Misérables in 1995, and the fiftieth birthday party of Andrew Lloyd Webber at the Royal Albert Hall in 1998. At Webber's 50th birthday party he sang the song "Gethsemane" which is sung by Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar, though he is not well-known for that role. He is a tenor. Ball also sang the role of Valjean at a special concert performance of Les Misérables for the Queen and her guests at Windsor Castle. For other uses, see BBC (disambiguation). ... Saint Davids Day (Welsh: Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Sant) is the feast day of Saint David, the patron saint of Wales, and falls on March 1 each year. ... Les Miserables - The Dream Cast in Concert aka Les Miserables in Concert is a film adaptation of the theatre play based upon the Victor Hugo novel, Les Miserables. ... Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber (born 22 March 1948) is a highly successful English composer of musical theatre, and also the elder brother of cellist Julian Lloyd Webber. ... Albert Hall redirects here. ... This article is about the rock opera. ... This article is about Tenor vocalists in music. ...

In 2004, he co-starred with Petula Clark in a production of Lloyd Webber's Sunset Boulevard at the Cork Opera House in the Republic of Ireland, which was later broadcast by the BBC. Ball sang three tracks from his latest album, Since You've Been Gone, Home and One Voice, as well as two duets with Clark. Petula Clark, CBE (born 15 November 1932), is an English singer, actress and composer best known for her upbeat popular international hits of the 1960s. ... Sunset Boulevard is a musical with book and lyrics by Don Black and Christopher Hampton and music by Andrew Lloyd Webber. ... Cork Opera house was originally built in 1855, although its existence has not been continuous; having survived the burning of much of Cork city by British forces in reprisal for an ambush of a military convoy in 1920 by Irish rebels, the Opera House nevertheless was burned down in its... The duet, by Hendrik ter Brugghen A duet is a musical composition or piece for two performers, most often used for a vocal or piano duet. ...

In November 2005, Ball returned to Broadway as Count Fosco in The Woman in White, which transferred from London's West End. However, he was forced to leave the show due to a reported viral infection caused by the fat suit required for the role, which reportedly raised Ball's body temperature by several degrees during the show. (The suit is also thought to have been the cause of Michael Crawford's premature departure from the show in London.) The show closed early, in part due to the health problems of Ball and leading lady Maria Friedman. Original logo for the musical The Woman in White. ... The term West End is most commonly used to refer to the West End of London, England. ... The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. ...

In September 2005, Ball made his New York City Opera debut as Reginald Bunthorne in Gilbert and Sullivan's Patience. Ball spent the first quarter of 2006 on complete vocal rest, following the illness that caused him to leave Woman in White on Broadway. By the middle of July, Ball had taken part in the Royals Court's celebratory performance of The Rocky Horror Show. Ball took a leading role in Kismet in June and July 2007 for the ENO, and appeared on Channel 4's Richard & Judy on 22 June 2007 to promote this production. He then appeared as the solo artist in a controversial 'Musical Theatre' Prom on 27 August 2007 for the BBC at London's Royal Albert Hall. Ball performed a wide range of musical theatre numbers, including several by Andrew Lloyd Webber. The show was broadcast live on BBC Four, as well as on BBC Radio 3. The New York State Theater at Lincoln Center, seen from Lincoln Center Plaza New York State Theater The New York State Theater at Lincoln Center, interior, as seen from the stage The New York City Opera (NYCO) is based in Philip Johnsons New York State Theater at Lincoln Center. ... W. S. Gilbert Arthur Sullivan Gilbert and Sullivan refers to the Victorian era partnership of librettist W. S. Gilbert (1836–1911) and composer Arthur Sullivan (1842–1900). ... Wikisource has original text related to this article: Patience (operetta) Patience (video tape cover) Patience (video tape cover) This article refers to the Savoy Opera. ... Original logo for the musical The Woman in White. ... The Royal Court Theatre is a non-commercial theatre in Sloane Square, in the Chelsea area of London noted for its contributions to modern theatre. ... The Rocky Horror Show is a long running stage musical (opening in London initially, on June 19, 1973) that inspired the movie The Rocky Horror Picture Show. ... Kismet is a musical written in 1953 by Robert Wright and George Forrest, adapted from the music of Alexander Borodin. ... The London Coliseum, home of English National Opera English National Opera (ENO), located at the London Coliseum in St. ... Richard & Judy is an afternoon magazine/talk-show in the UK presented by married couple Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan. ... is the 173rd day of the year (174th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 239th day of the year (240th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber (born 22 March 1948) is a highly successful English composer of musical theatre, and also the elder brother of cellist Julian Lloyd Webber. ... For the BBC radio station, see BBC Radio 4. ... BBC Radio 3 is a radio station operated by the BBC within the United Kingdom. ...

In October 2007, Ball made his West End return starring as Edna Turnblad in the hit musical Hairspray at the Shaftesbury Theatre in London. Ball has recently extended his contract from his initial 6 month run, to 25 October 2008. Hairspray is a musical with music by Marc Shaiman, lyrics by Scott Wittman and Shaiman and a book by Mark ODonnell and Thomas Meehan, based on the 1988 John Waters movie Hairspray. ... The Shaftesbury Theatre is located on Shaftesbury Ave in London, England. ... is the 298th day of the year (299th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Era (or Anno Domini), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ...

Recording work

Ball is a concert artist and tours frequently around the United Kingdom. He has also performed concerts in Australia and America. He has also had some success in the charts with his recording work. Since reaching Number 2 in the UK Singles Chart with "Love Changes Everything" from Aspects of Love, Ball had lesser success with follow up singles, but in the main he has concentrated on releasing albums, all of which achieved gold status within weeks, and in the case of The Movies album in 1998, platinum in seven weeks (released 26 October - confirmed platinum status on 12 December). For other uses, see Concert (disambiguation). ... World map showing the Americas CIA political map of the Americas in an equal-area projection The Americas are the lands of the Western hemisphere or New World, consisting of the continents of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions. ... // A record chart, also known as a music chart, is a method of ranking music according to popularity during a given period of time. ... “Sound recorder” redirects here. ... British Hit Singles redirects here. ... A collection of various CD singles In music, a single is a short recording of one or more separate tracks. ... “Golden record” redirects here. ...

Ball represented the United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest 1992 held in Malmo, Sweden, singing the song "One Step Out of Time", which finished second. In October 2005 Ball released his latest album Music. The album went into the UK Albums Chart at number 11, and spent ten weeks in the top 75. The album finished the year the 99th best selling album of 2005. The Eurovision Song Contest 1992 was the 37th Eurovision Song Contest and was held on May 9, 1992 in Malmö, Sweden. ... Malmö is the largest city in Scania and southern Sweden. ... The UK Albums Chart is a chart of the sales positions of albums in the United Kingdom. ...

In July 2006 Ball was a guest artist on Julian Lloyd Webber's album Unexpected Songs and in November of that year released a new DVD containing all the best songs from his Live in Concert DVDs. This is split into five sections: Musicals, Love Songs, Personal Favourites, Party Time, and Unplugged. The DVD also included a brand new "Unplugged" session which Ball has recorded with just four other musicians in the studio especially for this DVD. It was released on 20 November 2006. Ball took part in many promotional activities at the end of the 2006 to coincide with the release of his new album One Voice. This involved singing the song "Home" on ITV's GMTV, This Morning, and the BBC One Heaven and Earth Show hosted by Gloria Hunniford. Julian Lloyd Webber (born April 14, 1951) is a British cellist. ... Track Listing: Star of the County Down/Lady DAbanville by Cat Stevens/Trad. ... DVD (also known as Digital Versatile Disc or Digital Video Disc - see Etymology) is a popular optical disc storage media format. ... is the 324th day of the year (325th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... GMTV (Good Morning Television) is the national ITV breakfast television contractor,[1] broadcasting in the United Kingdom. ... This Morning logo (ITV1) This Morning is a British, ITV1 daytime television programme that started on 3 October 1988 and includes celebrity guests, entertainment, advice, competitions and features. ... For the BBC radio station, see BBC Radio 1. ... The Heaven and Earth Show was a BBC television programme that aired on Sunday mornings from 10am to 11am on BBC One. ... Gloria Hunniford was a presenter on BBC radio and television. ...

A new compilation album entitled Michael Ball: The Silver Collection was released in July 2007, along with the DVD version of his 1995 film England my England. Towards the end of 2007, Ball will be recording his 15th solo album for release on 15 October 2007. The album will feature songs all written by Burt Bacharach entitled 'Back to Bacharach.' This will be released along with a DVD of his 2007 Tour, filmed at London's Hammersmith Apollo. The DVD is due for release on 19 November 2007 and will be entitled 'One Voice Live'. Promotional activities will take place throughout October and November for these releases including appearances on Friday Night with Jonathan Ross and Loose Women. is the 288th day of the year (289th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... Burt Bacharach (IPA: ; born May 12, 1928) is an award-winning American pianist and composer. ... The Hammersmith Apollo, located in Hammersmith, London, England, opened in 1932, and was known as Gaumont Palace Hammersmith until 1962. ... is the 323rd day of the year (324th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... Loose Women is a British, televised talk show, which was first broadcast in 1999. ...

Television

Ball has also turned his hand to presenting both on TV and radio and has presented The National Lottery and Children in Need. He also co-hosted This Morning for a small period whilst the usual presenters took a break. Ball had his own series on TV and radio (Ball over Broadway on BBC Radio 2) (which is in its fourth season), The Greenroom, and several specials for BBC Radio 2 on subjects such as Nat King Cole, Cameron Mackintosh, and Cy Coleman. A play here! sign outside a newsagent, incorporating the National Lotterys logo of a stylised hand with crossed fingers. ... New BBC Children in Need Pudsey and logo from 2007 BBC Children in Need is an annual British charity appeal organised by the BBC. Since 1980 it has raised £470million. ... This Morning logo (ITV1) This Morning is a British, ITV1 daytime television programme that started on 3 October 1988 and includes celebrity guests, entertainment, advice, competitions and features. ... BBC Radio 2 is one of the BBCs national radio stations and the most popular station in the UK. As well as having most listeners nationally, it ranks first in all regions above local radio stations. ... BBC Radio 2 is one of the BBCs national radio stations and the most popular station in the UK. As well as having most listeners nationally, it ranks first in all regions above local radio stations. ... Nathaniel Adams Coles (March 17, 1919 – February 15, 1965), known professionally as Nat King Cole, was a popular American jazz singer-songwriter and pianist. ... Sir Cameron Mackintosh (born 17 October 1946) is a successful British theatrical producer. ... Cy Coleman (June 14, 1929 - November 18, 2004) was an American composer, songwriter, and jazz pianist. ...

Ball kicked 2007 off by co-judging the second series of ITV1 reality television show Soapstar Superstar. This was broadcast between Friday, January 5 and Saturday, January 13. Ball spent the week in Manchester filming the series. Critics of the show have compared him to "a poor mans Neil Sean".^{[citation needed]} ITV1 is the name, in England, Wales and the Scottish borders, for a terrestrial, free-to-air television channel, broadcast in the United Kingdom by the ITV network. ... Soapstar Superstar is a reality singing competition which first aired on British television station ITV1 in 2006. ... is the 5th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 13th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...

To finish 2006, Ball presented two more National Lottery Shows for the BBC on December 27 and December 30. Ball presented This Morning again on Tuesday June 19 and Wednesday June 20, 2007 with Fern Britton. It was the first time his new beard for Kismet was seen on national television. Ball made a guest appearance on This Morning on Friday 13 July 2007 to sing "Happy Birthday" to Britton On 28 July 2007, Ball and Elaine Paige took part in a celebrity version of the hit game show Who Wants to be a Millionaire? which aired on ITV1. The pair won £64,000 with a combined effort. December 27 is the 361st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (362nd in leap years). ... is the 364th day of the year (365th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 170th day of the year (171st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 171st day of the year (172nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... Fern Britton (born 17 July 1957 in Ealing) is an English television presenter, currently known as the main presenter on the British Talk show, This Morning, alongside Phillip Schofield. ... Kismet is a musical written in 1953 by Robert Wright and George Forrest, adapted from the music of Alexander Borodin. ... is the 194th day of the year (195th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 209th day of the year (210th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... On the cover of Elaine Paige Tour Programme 2004 Elaine Paige OBE (born Elaine Bickerstaff on 5 March 1948 in Barnet, Hertfordshire) is a world-renowned English singer and actor, primarily in musicals. ... For other uses, see Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (disambiguation). ...

Radio and concert

In 2006 Ball appeared at the summer concerts at Aberdeen, Bath, Southport, Oakley Hall and Cardiff. In August, Ball sat in for Michael Parkinson on his Radio 2 show. He was interviewed for Radio 3's "Stage and Screen" programme, and recorded a tribute to Anthony Newley at Hackney Empire, also for Radio 2. Ball then took part in 'Proms in the Park' at Singleton Park, Swansea. He sang two tracks from his forthcoming album, One Voice; the title song and Hero. Ball also sung show stoppers, "This is the Moment", "Anthem" and "Love Changes Everything". Soon after, Ball joined Petula Clark in concert at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane in London. Sir Michael Parkinson CBE (born March 28, 1935) is an English broadcaster and journalist. ... For other places with the same name, see Swansea (disambiguation). ... Petula Clark, CBE (born 15 November 1932), is an English singer, actress and composer best known for her upbeat popular international hits of the 1960s. ... The present-day Theatre Royal in Drury Lane, sketched when it was new, in 1813. ...

Ball also took part in a Christmas concert for the Royal Theatrical Fund at St Pauls Church in Covent Garden, London. Ball sang Christmas classics "O Holy Night" and "When a Child is Born". At the end of the year Ball sat in for Johnnie Walker on his Sunday afternoon BBC Radio 2 show. Guests included Ronan Keating, Petula Clark and Matt Lucas on Christmas Eve. At the end of February 2007, Ball chose the 'Tracks of his years' for Ken Bruce's show on BBC Radio 2. Ball choose his favourite tracks in the week beginning February 26. Johnnie Walker Johnnie Walker MBE (born Peter Dingley, 30 March 1945 in Birmingham, England) is a radio disc jockey. ... BBC Radio 2 is one of the BBCs national radio stations and the most popular station in the UK. As well as having most listeners nationally, it ranks first in all regions above local radio stations. ... Ronan Keating (born March 3, 1977 in Dublin, Ireland) is an Irish pop singer who has had hits with boyband Boyzone and as a solo artist. ... Petula Clark, CBE (born 15 November 1932), is an English singer, actress and composer best known for her upbeat popular international hits of the 1960s. ... Matthew Richard Lucas (born 5 March 1974) is an English comedian and actor. ... Kenneth Robertson Bruce (born 2 February 1951 in Glasgow, Scotland) is a veteran British broadcaster best-known for his mid-morning programme on BBC Radio 2, which is broadcast on weekdays from 9:30 am until 12 pm. ... is the 57th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Ball also took part in a full extensive United Kingdom Tour during March and April 2007. To promote this Ball took part in interviews with ITV's This Morning and a newspaper in Liverpool. There were 23 dates on the tour covering England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales. The tour started with two nights in Belfast, before a number of shows in the north of England and Midlands. Ball then headed to Glasgow and Aberdeen before returning for shows in London, Birmingham and Northampton. Ball took a trip to his old home in Plymouth before embarking on the final leg of his tour. It saw Ball perform in Ipswich and Northampton before ending his tour in Cardiff. For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... This article is about the country. ... This article is about the country. ... This article is about the capital city of Northern Ireland. ... This article is about the capital city of Wales. ...

He made his debut with the English National Opera in the lead role of Hajj/Poet in a new production of Robert Wright and George Forrest's Kismet after this tour. The London Coliseum, home of English National Opera English National Opera (ENO), located at the London Coliseum in St. ... Robert Wright is the name of: Bob Wright (baseball) (1891), early 20th century baseball pitcher Robert Wright (politician) (1752–1826), early 19th century governor and congressman from Maryland Robert Wright, Baron Wright (1869–1964), British law lord Robert Wright (Medal of Honor), American Civil War soldier and Medal of Honor... People named George Forrest include: George Forrest (author) (1915-) - American author and musician George Forrest (botanist) (1873-1932) - British botanist and plant collector George Forrest (businessman) - Belgian businessman established in Katanga This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Kismet is a musical written in 1953 by Robert Wright and George Forrest, adapted from the music of Alexander Borodin. ...

His six part series Ball over Broadway was aired on Radio 2 from late April. For this show he traveled to New York to review shows and interview directors, stars and producers. He has also presented one-off specials for the network including tributes to Jerry Herman and Anthony Newley . and has been a guest presenter on Sunday mornings and Sunday evenings. Ball is presenting two special new year shows for BBC Radio 2 as regular presenter Ken Bruce takes a break. This article is about the state. ... Jerry Herman Jerry Herman (born Gerald Herman on July 10, 1933 in New York City) is an American composer/lyricist of the Broadway musical theater. ... Anthony George Newley (September 24, 1931 – April 14, 1999), was an English actor, singer and songwriter. ...

Ball has also confirmed Summer Concerts in Derby, Wales and Peterborough. Ball will be joined in Wales by Sound of Music star Connie Fisher who will duet 'All I Ask of You' from Phantom of the Opera with him. Ball is also expected to sing numbers from Les Misérables, Jekyll and Hyde and Aspects of Love in Wales. To promote the concert at Repton School, Derby Ball gave an interview in April with BBC Radio Derby. On 14 August 2007 Ball took part in the Popmaster Quiz on Ken Bruce's BBC Radio 2 show. On 22nd August, Ball appeared on BBC Radio Four's 'Front Row' programme to discuss his imminent concert for the BBC at the Albert Hall. Connie Fisher (born June 17, 1983) is an actress and singer, who won the BBC One talent contest, How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria? Fisher was delighted to be named Maria: [1] On 15 November 2006, she opened to good reviews in the part of Maria von Trapp... is the 226th day of the year (227th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ...

In August he made his BBC Proms debut with An Evening With Michael Ball at the Royal Albert Hall, which marked the first time a musical theatre star had been given a solo concert at the classical music festival. A Promenade concert in the Royal Albert Hall, 2004. ... Albert Hall redirects here. ...

Ball appeared in the Royal Variety Performance at the Empire Theatre in Liverpool on Monday 3 December singing "You Can't Stop the Beat" with the rest of the cast from Hairspray.

2008

In 2008 Ball will continue to appear as Edna Turnblad in the musical Hairspray at the Shaftesbury Theatre until the 25th of October. He appeared on Jonathan Ross's BBC Radio 2 Show on 19th January. He has confirmed he will appear on the BBC Radio 2 Elaine Paige show on 3rd February. Michael appeared on the Alan Titchmarsh Show on Tuesday 26th February discussing his Olivier Award nomination. He will be appearing in a number of Summer Concerts including the Hampton Court Music Festival on Saturday 14th June. Hairspray is a musical with music by Marc Shaiman, lyrics by Scott Wittman and Shaiman and a book by Mark ODonnell and Thomas Meehan, based on the 1988 John Waters movie Hairspray. ... The Shaftesbury Theatre is located on Shaftesbury Ave in London, England. ... This article is about the British television presenter. ... BBC Radio 2 is one of the BBCs national radio stations and the most popular station in the UK. As well as having most listeners nationally, it ranks first in all regions above local radio stations. ... On the cover of Elaine Paige Tour Programme 2004 Elaine Paige OBE (born Elaine Bickerstaff on 5 March 1948 in Barnet, Hertfordshire) is a world-renowned English singer and actor, primarily in musicals. ...

On Sunday 2nd March 2008, Ball appeared as the guest on the BBC Radio 4 show Desert Island Discs during which he talked about his early life, his career including his struggle with stage fright in his early career, and a little about his personal life.^[1] Desert Island Discs is a long-running BBC Radio 4 programme. ...

From Sunday 6th April Ball will be taking over Michael Parkinson's 'Sunday Supplement' on BBC Radio 2 every Sunday from 11am-1pm. Sir Michael Parkinson CBE (born March 28, 1935) is an English broadcaster and journalist. ...

Michael won the 2008 What's on Stage Theatre Awards for 'Best Actor in a Musical'.

Michael also won the 2008 Olivier Award for 'Best Actor in a Musical'- his first Olivier Award.

Personal life

Ball lives with his partner, the former presenter of Ready Steady Go!, Cathy McGowan, who is almost 20 years older than Ball. They met in about 1991 and they have lived together since 1992.^[1] In 2000, in the middle of the night during a house fire, McGowan undoubtedly saved his life by pulling him out of their house from the spare bedroom,^[4] where he was sleeping after some nightcaps to help him sleep .^[1] Ball is stepfather to Emma, McGowan's daughter.^[1] Ready Steady Go! or simply RSG! was one of the UKs first rock/pop music TV programmes. ... Cathy McGowan on Ready Steady Go! (Rediffusion TV, 1965) Cathy McGowan (born 1945) was a British broadcaster and journalist, best remembered as the presenter from 1964-6 of Rediffusion television’s groundbreaking rock music show Ready Steady Go! // Ready Steady Go! (RSG) was first broadcast in August 1963, its launch...

References

Desert Island Discs is a long-running BBC Radio 4 programme. ... For other uses, see BBC (disambiguation). ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Era (or Anno Domini), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... -1...

External links

• Michael Ball at the Internet Movie Database
• Michael Ball at the Internet Broadway Database
• Official site
• Official Michael Ball Fan Club
• Michael Ball - Downstage Center interview at American Theatre Wing.org
• Discussion of Ball's merits as a classical singer.
• Latest album