West End star Michael Ball has had to assure disbelieving fans he really is playing a village cricket club next month.
The singer will perform his only summer show at the ground of Almondbury Wesleyan CC in Huddersfield, West Yorks, on June 16. But some stunned residents thought it would be a tribute act performing, despite more than 2,000 tickets being sold at £63.35 a pop, and VIP ones selling out at £157.25.
Organiser and cricket club committee member Mark Binns said: "People are asking, 'Is it really Michael Ball?' and we show them the poster, and they say, 'Well, it does look like him but it can't be'...but it is."
Michael Ball is set to perform a concert at a cricket club in Huddersfield next month (Getty Images for The National Lottery)
A poster has been put up in the community ahead of the show in the coming weeks (Paula Huddleston / SWNS)Picturesque Almondbury has a population of less than 20,000 but a large crowd is expected to descend on the village for the gig dubbed "Harmonies & Hampers: A summer picnic like no other".
Singer Michael said: "It's the first time the cricket club has done something like this so it's good to break new ground and will be a really nice experience, so I thought 'Why not?'. It sounds like I may be trailblazing here. I love open-air shows and this really appealed to me. It'll be relaxed and informal, and a great way to spend a summer's afternoon. I love Yorkshire, it's a beautiful place and the audiences are always up for a great time."
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The West End star is set to perform at Almondbury Wesleyan Cricket Club in June (Paula Huddleston / SWNS)Locals were thrilled to hear Michael really is performing, with one saying it proves he's "not an egotist". The star, who has twice won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical, told the BBC: "It is actually me coming up. I heard people thought it was going to be a tribute act."
Mr Binns said: "We are getting interest from all over the country as it's such a one-off. If you look on Michael's website under his 'Live' section there's just one gig this summer – and that's us. I think that's why the tickets have been selling so fast but people can still get hold of them if they act quickly."
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