Make an appointment to see the beloved TV doctor and presenter Ranj Singh in Cardiff!

& Juliet had a phenomenal run in London's West End, picking up three Olivier Awards and six WhatsOnStage Awards, and is now on a national tour. Best known as the resident medical expert on This Morning (2016-2022), and for dancing with Janette Manrara in 2018's Strictly Come Dancing, Ranj Singh makes his professional musical theatre debut as the lively and comedic Lance Du Bois.

For people who think they know Romeo and Juliet, how does the show shake things up?

Romeo and Juliet is one of the most well-known love stories ever and people will have a good idea of what happens at the end. The twist in & Juliet is that it asks: What would have happened if Juliet didn't die? What if she got to rewrite the story? It's such a clever way of framing the story and also, I think, a modern way of doing it in a female-empowering, diverse way. It's really good fun, it's a riot and it's fantastic.

This is your musical theatre debut. Are you nervous?

Absolutely and if I wasn't I'd be worried because it is a big deal for me. It's something that I've wanted for for a very long time and something that I've been working so hard behind the scenes to make happen.

Who is Lance and what is his role in the story?

Lance is François's dad and he is an ex-French army man who wants his son to follow in his footsteps by doing the right thing and the expected thing. But François has other ideas and he wants to experience the world in different ways, so they're kind of negotiating their relationship. Lance is fun. He's slightly cheeky and he has his own little love story in the show, where he rekindles an old romance.

Are you a fan of the pop music featured in the show?

It is full of all those pop songs that everybody loves. It's based on the music of Max Martin, who is one of the most successful pop songwriters of the century. He's written for everyone from Britney to Backstreet Boys, Jessie J to Ariana Grande and Kelly Clarkson - all of those songs that you love singing in the car, in the shower, or when you're out dancing. Every single song is fantastic and I grew up on a lot of this music. With the Backstreet Boys numbers, for instance, it's very much my teen era so it's very nostalgic for me.

We know from Strictly, All Star Musicals and your West End show Scrubs & Sparkles that you can dance and sing. How are you preparing for the acting aspect?

I've done a little bit of theatre here and there and I've also done some panto over the years, but I'm taking this role very seriously. I've done quite a bit of singing and dancing before but I want to make sure my acting is as good as it can be and does the role justice. I've been taking extra classes with an acting coach and it's been a long rehearsal process for a reason. I'm soaking up as much direction and instruction, as well as learning from my amazing co-stars.

It's a very inclusive musical. Was that part of the attraction for you as an LGBTQ advocate?

Absolutely. One hundred and ten percent. I am a massive believer that inclusion and diversity is a strength and things only get better when you try to be as diverse and inclusive as possible. This show is all of that. It has such a beautifully diverse cast and it's such an inclusive show. Hopefully audiences who come to see the show will see themselves in it. It's important for families, young people and kids who come and watch it to be able to see a bit of themselves up there on stage and go: 'I can do that. There's somebody like me up there and I feel like I'm in a safe and celebrated space.' I want everyone to feel that joy. At the end of the day & Juliet is all about joy and I'm so proud to be part of a show like this.