STEPS singer and actress Faye Tozer is to star in the new comedy for a girls' night out, 69 Shades Of Black, visiting York Barbican on April 30 in next year's 44-date tour.

Faye will play company director Christina Black in the sassy and saucy show, replacing Gail Porter, who has withdrawn from the April to June run as a result of date clashes.

Co-written by director-producer Michael Courtney, Chris Taylor and Fraser Boyle, 69 Shades Of Black revolves around the unfortunately named William Shight, a boring, vanilla type, whose most interesting trait has always been his snigger-inducing moniker. Up until now, that is.

Events have taken a turn for the shocking since he landed his dream job at one of the country’s top advertising agencies, and here is where Faye Tozer's character, Christine Black, will come into play. Company director Christina has taken a shine to William and attempts to seduce him with an indecent proposal. Overwhelmed by the attention and without friends or family to consult, William seeks the advice of the only two men in his life he can trust, the argumentative Gabriel and Gideon, his conscience.

William tries in vain to resist but relents and signs a 69-page contract, the one Christina intends to use to make a man out of him. The 20 pages of “Don’t” and 49 pages of “Do whatever the hell I want” will lead William on the painful journey of a lifetime.

Faye Tozer aside, the names of the cast of four are yet to be confirmed, but the show's promotion drive is sure to fall on 38-year-old Faye, from Dunstable, who danced professionally with the Belinda King Dancers for two years until international success with Steps beckoned.

Faye has presented The Pepsi Chart Show, Disney Channel Kids Awards, Kids Proms In The Park and The Big Breakfast; had a Top Ten single with operatic singer Russell Watson, Someone Like You, and made her musical theatre debut in Andrew Lloyd Webber's one-woman show Tell Me On A Sunday. She last appeared in York in the world premiere of Kim Gavin and Dan Peak's boisterous disco musical Love Shack, playing clothes-horse Bonnie at the Grand Opera House in May 2005.

She went on to star as Jubilee Climax in the West End show Saucy Jack And The Space Vixens; Sally in Me And My Girl and Sheila Wendice in Dial M For Murder on British tours; singer Eva Cassidy in the tribute show Over The Rainbow and Annie in the premiere of Rhinestone Mondays, a country and western musical that also featured fellow Steps member Ian "H" Watkins. In 2013, she originated the role of silent-movie star Marion Davies in the West End musical The Tailor Made Man and her latest role was as shrill-voiced leading lady Lina Lamont in Singin' In The Rain.

She now takes a step in a different direction in the comic capers of 69 Shades Of Black.

The show's itinerary will include the Scarborough Spa Pavilion Theatre on May 3 and Hull New Theatre on May 29.

York tickets can be booked on 0844 854 2757 or at yorkbarbican.co.uk; Scarborough, 01723 821 888; Hull, 01482 300300.