A NEW season of entertainment in Bradford opens in style, when West End hit Beautiful - The Carole King Musical starts its first UK tour at the Alhambra.

Two brand new shows - Take That musical The Band and Cilla, The Musical - are also heading to town, and among the stars lined up for Bradford Theatres' autumn season are Lulu, Phill Jupitus, Joe McElderry, Pam Ayres and veteran comic Ken Dodd.

A smash hit on Broadway and the West End, Beautiful traces the inspiring story of Carole King’s rise to stardom, from being part of a songwriting team with her husband Gerry Goffin to becoming one of the most successful solo acts in popular music history.

The Band, written by Tim Firth, who penned the Calendar Girls movie and stage show, is billed as "a story for anyone who grew up with a

boyband". Featuring the music of Take That, it stars the winners of BBC1’s Let it Shine, Five to Five.

Cilla, The Musical, a heartwarming musical adaptation of the hit ITV series by Bafta- winner Jeff Pope, tells the extraordinary story of the Liverpool girl who became one of Britain’s best loved entertainers.

Old favourites are back, including Blood Brothers, starring Lyn Paul, Hairspray, starring X Factor's Brenda Edwards and comedy actor Norman Pace, and Grease, starring Tom Parker from boyband The Wanted, and the world-renowned Rambert Dance Company, presenting their most popular show, inspired by the music of Nina Simone. Former Strictly Come Dancing favourites Vincent Simone and Flavia Cacace present new show Tango Moderno, and there's more fancy footwork from Strictly dancers Kristina Rihanoff and Tristan MacManus.

Comics tickling funny bones this autumn include Phill Jupitus, Jerry Sadowitz, Paul Chowdhry, Kerry Godliman, Andy Parsons and Ed

Byrne - and veteran Ken Dodd returns to the Alhambra with his legendary Happiness show.

There's music from Lulu, the Bootleg Beatles, Steeleye Span, Les McKeown's Bay City Rollers, the Chicago Blues Brothers and Sincerely Yours, telling the Vera Lynn Story.

The festive season gets underway with the fairy godmother of all pantomimes, Cinderella, starring Alhambra stalwart Billy Pearce, singer and Loose Women panellist Coleen Nolan and her son, stage star Shane Nolan.

Bradford's International Classical Concert Season continues with pianist Benjamin Grosvenor and the Endellion String Quartet, and for young theatre-goers there's family show the Tiger Who Came to Tea.

Comedy Dinner Shows continue at the Alhambra with Del and Rodney and Edmund and Queenie serving up laughs over a three-course meal.

* Tickets for all shows are on (01274) 432000 or bradford-theatres.co.uk