WHILE we wouldn’t want to wish the summer away, the new autumn season at Bradford Theatres is something to look forward to.

Professor Brian Cox, Gilbert O’Sullivan, TV gardener Monty Don and veteran performer Tommy Steele are among the stars treading the boards in Bradford, The Guide can exclusively reveal.

New season highlights include hit show Mary Poppins – the magical story of the world’s favourite nanny arriving on Cherry Tree Lane is brought to life with dazzling choreography – and a new adaptation of A Tale of Two Cities, considered by Dickens to be the best story he wrote.

Interweaving one family’s personal drama with the terror and chaos of the French Revolution, it’s an epic story of love, sacrifice and redemption set against world changing events.

The internationally acclaimed Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater returns to the Alhambra with dazzling new works and Ailey classics including the crowd-pleaser Revelations, the most widely seen modern dance work in the world.

Northern Ballet brings its much-loved production of Romeo and Juliet back to Bradford, as well as children’s ballet The Tortoise and the Hare.

The Glenn Miller Story stars music legend Tommy Steele as the wartime band leader, Shane Filan flies solo with his tour Right Here, delivering tracks from his two albums as well as Westlife favourites, and Gilbert O’Sullivan will perform hits such as Get Down and Clair with a 10-piece band.

Starman – A Musical Celebration pays tribute to David Bowie, while over at King’s Hall, Ilkley, Maddy Prior joins Steeleye Span and The Rubettes take to the stage.

The Alhambra’s comedy dinner parties continue with Basil & Co, hosted by Basil Fawlty, his long-suffering wife Sybil and confused waiter Manuel, and actor John Challis recalls highlights of his career in Only Fools & Boycie.

Mark Radcliffe – Should You Be Interested sees the radio and TV presenter delivering “stories of middle aged angst and ennui along with tales of ineptitude and encounters with some of music’s most famous names Mark has on speed dial – even if his calls are blocked at the other end”.

At King’s Hall, there’s an evening with Monty Don and the newly refreshed studio welcomes Dane Baptiste, Jerry Sadowitz and schools inspector turned writer Gervase Phinn.

The season ends with a trip to Neverland. Billy Pearce joins Darren Day, former Emmerdale star Charlie Hardwick and musical theatre star Jon Lee in Peter Pan.

* Tickets are on (01274) 432000.