Jersey Boys musical to leave London in 2017

L to R: Declan Egan, Matt Corner, Simon Bailey and Matt Hunt currently star in Jersey Boys

Jersey Boys, the hit musical that tells the story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, is to close in London in 2017.

The curtain will be brought down on the show, which opened at the Prince Edward Theatre in March 2008 before moving to the Piccadilly in 2014, on 26 March.

A UK tour - the show's second - will begin in Birmingham in December 2017.

Producer Michael David said the London tenure had been "extraordinary" and hoped UK audiences would "continue to embrace" the production.

'Profoundly grateful'

"When we brought Jersey Boys [to London] nine years ago, we hoped it was a good idea," he said. "But you never imagine it'll multiply and resonate as much as it has.

"We couldn't be more proud of the cast and crew who gave their all every night, and are profoundly grateful to the audiences who returned that energy without fail."

First seen in New York in 2005, Jersey Boys charts the history of Valli's chart-topping group and features such classic tracks as Walk Like a Man and Big Girls Don't Cry.

A film version, directed by Clint Eastwood and featuring Christopher Walken as Valli's mentor Angelo "Gyp" DeCarlo, reached cinemas in 2014.

Suzie Mathers and Rachel Tucker currently play Glinda and Elphaba in Wicked

Meanwhile, the London production of Wicked has celebrated 10 years in the West End with a special gala at London's Apollo Victoria.

Former cast members Kerry Ellis and Adam Garcia were among those in the audience at Tuesday's performance of the Wizard of Oz-inspired musical.

There are also plans to mark the 30th anniversary of The Phantom of the Opera with a charity gala at Her Majesty's Theatre in London.

Some tickets for the performance on 10 October have been priced £19.86, to mark the musical's first performance at the theatre in 1986.

The current cast will be joined by members of the original company and some "special guests" at the end of the performance.

Michael Crawford, who created the role of The Phantom in Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical, is currently appearing in West End musical The Go-Between.