NEWS FLASH:

"Darling hold on to ya heels and wigs," says Velma Celli. "I'm  changing the venue for tonight's fabulous soirée from the Railway Institute to Thomas's of York. 

"I won't bore you with the details but Thomas's is just a five-minute totter away from the old venue."

WEST End cabaret star Velma Celli, alias York performer Ian Stroughair, returns to her home city tonight.

For one night only, Velma and her London team will transform Museum Street gay bar Thomas's of York into a fabulous cabaret speakeasy to house The Velma Celli Show.

Ian last performed in York in February 2014 as Angel Dumott Schunard in the 20th anniversary concert tour of the Broadway musical Rent at the Grand Opera House. Next Friday, in the guise of Velma Celli, he promises "an extraordinary evening of cabaret, laughs and frivolity, all glued together with one incredible singing voice, in the intimate setting of the Railway Institute".

Ian has enjoyed a varied career in television, film and musical theatre, starring in the West End shows Cats, Fame and Chicago. This year, he has appeared in the BBC1 soap opera EastEnders and shot the feature film Night Of The Lotus for release in 2016; last winter, he played the lead role of over-the-top cabaret singer Irish O'Flanagan in Charles Busch's Christmas fairytale, Times Square Angel, at the Union Theatre, London.

In 2014, Ian co-wrote and co-starred in the award-winning Divallusion at the Edinburgh Fringe, where he earned the coveted spot of the closing act on the BBC's Best of the Festival concert.

The Velma Celli Show was the very first drag show to be given a residency at the London Hippodrome, one of Britain's most prestigious cabaret venues. Velma was nominated for best vocal act in the 2013 and 2014 London Cabaret Awards.

Doors open at 7.30pm tonight for the 8pm start. Tickets are on sale online at ticketweb.co.uk/event/194735