EXCLUSIVE: Musical theatre star Lee Mead has opened up about his close friendship with one of Loose Women’s most popular panellists in an exclusive interview with Express.co.uk.

Lee Mead is starring in We Will Rock You (Image: PROVIDED)

Any Dream Will Do winner Lee Mead, 41, spoke about how he and one of Loose Women’s biggest stars had been “brought together by the universe” in an exclusive interview with Express.co.uk.

The former Casualty actor, who is due to star in this Summer’s production of We Will Rock You at the London Coliseum, revealed he has grown very close to fellow performer Brenda Edwards, 54.

Ahead of appearing at the highly-anticipated Gaiety Musical Theatre Festival this month, Lee spoke about how he will be starring as Khashoggi in the upcoming West End show.

Lee will perform alongside talented songstress Brenda, who will be wowing audiences with her portrayal of the Killer Queen.

Speaking about his exciting new role, Lee said: “I can’t believe it! For me, it’s my first time back in the West End for 10 years.

Lee Mead has grown close with his co-star (Image: GETTY)

“My last West End musical was Legally Blonde – and for the show (We Will Rock You) it’s the first time in 21 years that it’s back in London and they’re going all out. It’s going to be the full production.

“It’s my first villain role as well!” he continued. “I’ve always played the good guy, so to play a baddie is going to be great.”

In the show, the Killer Queen is the villain of the piece, while Khashoggi is her second-in-command and head of Globalsoft’s police.

“I get to sing A Kind of Magic with Brenda Edwards which is amazing,” Lee said. “She’s a phenomenal singer.

“And for Brenda, it’s her third job with me as well. I can’t believe it – it’s quite rare to work with somebody more than twice, but to do three jobs within a year is insane.

Brenda Edwards stars on Loose Women (Image: GETTY)

“We did Chicago together last year and then a panto at Christmas and now We Will Rock You,” Lee explained.

Brenda played the part of Mama Morton in Chicago, while Lee played the charismatic Billy Flynn.

Asked if he had become close with Brenda after working so much together, Lee confirmed: “We have! We’ve become really close, actually.

“We did the panto together at the end of last year and doing panto during Christmas is quite a heavy schedule,” he explained. “You’re doing two shows a day for four or five weeks.

“But we clicked really well and she’s just an amazing woman and we’ve got a shared passion for food and we love eating out together.

Lee Mead rose to fame on Any Dream Will Do (Image: GETTY)

“We’ve become really close and she mentioned this show over Christmas, saying, ‘Oh, they’re looking for a Khashoggi in We Will Rock You,’” he revealed.

“And I went, ‘Right, it’s going to happen – let’s do this. I’m going to try and get the audition.’

“So we sort of put it out there to the universe and I got the material through, really worked on the script and the song.

“And it’s just crazy to think I’ve got the part, really, because to work with someone three times in a year is just unheard of,” he reiterated. “I think it must be the universe bringing us together.”

Lee also expressed his excitement and nerves after auditioning in front of the legendary rock band Queen for Ben Elton’s revival of the hit stage musical.

“Singing a Queen song to Queen in my final audition in front of Brian May and Roger Taylor was pretty daunting,” Lee admitted. “But luckily I got the job!”

Elsewhere in the interview, Lee spoke about the upcoming Gaiety Musical Theatre Festival, which is a one-of-a-kind, multi-stage event that will bring together some of the biggest West End and Broadway stars when it launches on April 30 at Ragley Hall, Warwickshire.

Lee said: “It should be a really great event! We’ve got the London Musical Theatre Orchestra and that’s always such a great treat, to sing with an Orchestra.

He went on to say he “really hoped” that this innovative musical theatre festival, which includes two professional stages, a silent disco, a funfair and a plethora of tasty food options, will start a trend for musical theatre fans and families to enjoy multiple times a year.

We Will Rock You will run from June 2 to August 26 at the London Coliseum.

Gaiety Musical Theatre Festival will take place at Ragley Hall, Warwickshire, on April 30.

Lee Mead has previously appeared on Any Dream Will Do, Casualty and Holby City for the BBC, as well as Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat in London’s West End.