Antony Hansen tells Vicky Anderson he is looking forward to donning the famous dreamcoat when the musical returns to the Liverpool Empire

MUSICAL behemoth Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat is rolling into Liverpool once more.

The unstoppable production has seen stars including Donny Osmond, Jason Donovan and Phillip Schofield don the Biblical coat of many colours in the lead role over the years.

And the show has had a new lease of life in the past two years thanks to Any Dream Will Do, the BBC reality talent show headhunting for new blood.

As winner Lee Mead took his prize with a stint in the plum West End title role (Denise Van Outen not included) which has just ended, Any Dream Will Do provided a hotbed of talent that could be utilised for the simultaneous and ever-popular touring version.

Antony Hansen, one of the final 12 contestants on the show, takes over the role as Joseph for the Liverpool dates. He replaces Craig Chalmers, another Any Dream . . . alumni for several weeks of shows.

And it’s been an interesting rise to the top.

At just 19 years of age, with talent and determination, Antony has managed to make his way up the cast list since joining the tour last January.

His first part was as Napthali, one of Joseph’s brothers.

“Come June, I got offered the part of the Pharaoh, and now, another six months later, I’m playing the part of Joseph while Craig’s away. I was really in the right place at the right time,” he says happily.

It was the chance to impress the major players behind the creation of Any Dream Will Do – decision makers including Joseph creator Andrew Lloyd Webber and home-grown theatre impresario Bill Kenwright – that made Antony want to try out.

“I’d never seen Joseph,” he admits sheepishly.

“I knew the songs, but didn’t really know what it was about.

“When I heard about who was involved, I knew it would be a quite influential and interesting thing to do.

“I went to the first audition, and had the mindset that I’d just go with the goal of being seen in front of Andrew Lloyd Webber.