NORTH-EAST teenage singing sensation Lewis Bradley's dream is about to come true after all.

The 18-year-old, from Nunthorpe, Middlesbrough, came third on the BBC show Any Dream Will Do earlier this year, but it has now been confirmed that he will play the lead role in the West End production of Joseph.

Lewis will stand in for the show's winner, Lee Mead, for 25 performances at London's Adelphi Theatre next year, while he takes a break from the busy schedule.

Fans will have to wait until January for his first appearance in the technicolour dreamcoat, but in the meantime he will be undertaking a nationwide tour as the male lead in Chicago and Beyond, an anthology show covering all the great musicals.

Lewis was hard at work in rehearsals for the new show yesterday, but his mother, Aranka Bradley, told The Northern Echo: "He is over the moon to be appearing in Joseph - he is thrilled.

"He went to have his wig and costume fitted on Thursday, and he's really looking forward to it.

"He told me he is going to enjoy it and not put himself under any pressure.

"People have already started buying tickets for the dates when Lewis will be in the show.

"I've told my daughter I will probably cry all the way through it when we go to see the show."

Lewis' agent, Dawn Sedgwick, said: "Lewis will be on tour for two-and-a-half months with Chicago and Beyond, performing alongside Zoe Tyler, who was a judge on Any Dream Will Do.

"He has recorded a couple of TV appearances and has just had to turn down a year's touring with the show Godspell, which would have been with former Boyzone star Stephen Gately.

"He is going about this in a very professional way, and still has his feet very much on the ground."

Lewis's Joseph shows are January 14 to 26, March 10 to 15 and May 5 to 10.

Tickets, costing between £22.50 and £50, are available from the Adelphi Theatre box office on 0870-895-5598.