The finalists will be battling it out for the role of Nancy in Oliver!

They include an agony aunt, an avid Paul Daniels fan and a former Welsh soap actress.

The contestants will battle it out for the role of Nancy in a new West End production of Oliver!

They will face the public vote in a show hosted by Graham Norton on BBC One. Three young boys will also be chosen to play orphaned urchin Oliver.

Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber and Sir Cameron Mackintosh will join a panel of judges in making a decision on which boys will get to play the part of Oliver over different nights.

The final line-up of Nancy hopefuls, whose ages range from 17 to 28, include trained actresses and singers, as well as novice stage performers.

Oliver! first reached the London stage in 1960 and became a musical movie in 1968, starring Oliver Reed as Bill Sikes. It went on to win five Oscars.

Previous television talent shows have seen Lord Lloyd Webber find a new Maria - Connie Fisher - for a production of The Sound of Music and an actor - Lee Mead - to play the title role in a new production of the Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat musical.