THE "one and only" Chesney Hawkes is coming to Liverpool in the lead role of a brand new Bill Kenwright musical based on the music of Barry Manilow.

Hawkes plays Tony in Can’t Smile Without You, which runs at the Liverpool Empire from September 15 to 20.

A pop icon, he is best known for his 1990s hit The One and Only, which spent five weeks at the top of the UK singles charts and went on to become an international phenomenon.

The track then featured on the soundtrack of the film Buddy’s Song, in which he starred alongside Who legend Roger Daltrey.

Hawkes has recently completed his new album Another Fine Mess, and has made numerous television appearances on shows such as Top Ten Teen Idols, Britain’s Got More Talent, Hit Me Baby One More Time and sports show The Games.

Can’t Smile Without You is the brand new musical love story featuring all the timeless hits from music legend Barry Manilow.

The plot concerns an aspiring young band on a visit to New York, taking part in auditions for the latest reality TV show to find the next pop music sensation.

The TV company offers lead singer Tony a chance but before Tony can realise his dream, he is caught up in a tragic sequence of events. which leave him fighting for his life.

Left with no memory his dreams are all but shattered. His only hope lies in the power of the music he loves and his feelings for a girl he once knew called Mandy.

The show includes over 30 hit songs including Could it be Magic, It’s a Miracle, I Write the Songs, Mandy, I Made it through the Rain, Tryin’ to Get the Feeling Again and many more.