Jerry Springer - The Opera has been critically acclaimed

The hit musical held day-long auditions in Manchester on Wednesday for new cast members for the West End show.

The opera is based on America's most lurid talk show and its flamboyant host, Jerry Springer.

Queues stretched around the block of The Dancehouse in Oxford Street as a panel of judges decided which of the would-be stars got a second chance.

A nappy-wearing man

The musical has won a plethora of awards, including Best Opera at the Olivier Awards.

The show centres around Springer's talk show and features a nappy-wearing man and tap-dancing Ku Klux Klan members.

Producers plan to take the �3m production to Broadway later this year.

The show's creator Stuart Lee said: "It's not like Pop Idol humliation.

"They get to sing a really short bit and to be honest, we can normally tell in five seconds whether they'll make it or not."

Three out of the many who turned up in Manchester will make it through to the next round of auditions when they will be up against professional singers.