Jason Manford will host this year's Royal Variety Performance, which is due to be filmed in Blackpool.

ITV confirms: "Comedian, actor and singer Jason Manford is to host The Royal Variety Performance at the historic Blackpool Opera House in the Winter Gardens Complex. His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales will deliver a special message to the charity and the artistes performing in the show, as he looks forward to this exceptional evening of entertainment.

"Returning to the North after nine years, the show promises to be an unforgettable evening of exceptional performers, world class British theatre and superb comedy, plus some exciting surprises."

Jason Manford says: "After appearing at The Royal Variety Performance three times since 2009, it is an honour and a privilege to be hosting the show this year. It's been a hugely difficult year for everybody, so I hope that for a couple of hours on a cold winter's night in Blackpool we can take people's minds off things and do what us Brits do best: have a laugh."

The line-up will also feature comedy routines from stand-ups Jo Caulfield and Daliso Chaponda.

Musical comedian Jon Courtenay, who won Britain's Got Talent 2020, will appear as part of the line-up too.

The programme will also feature fundraising star Captain Sir Thomas Moore, who will appear via video link from his home as Michael Ball and the NHS Choir perform You'll Never Walk Alone on stage at the Opera House.

Music stars Gary Barlow, Celeste, Melanie C and Steps will also appear, as will magician Stephen Mulhern, West End star Marisha Wallace, Kenyan acrobats The Black Blues Brothers, the cast of Cilla The Musical (including star Sheridan Smith as Cilla) and the line-up for Frozen The Musical.

The programme will be broadcast on ITV in December.