Susan Boyle’s rise to fame is being turned into a musical.

It will open at Newcastle's Royal Theatre in March, with Rab C Nesbitt actress Elaine C Smith playing the Scottish singer. The show is expected to tour the UK for at least six months before it moves on to Australia and America, where SuBo topped the charts with both her albums.

"I never thought my life story would end up on the stage," the I Dreamed A Dream singer told the BBC. "A lot has happened in two years and it is a very exciting prospect. I hope everyone enjoys the show and I promise there will be a few surprises along the way.”

The show will be produced by Michael Harrison, who explained Susan’s appeal. "She is an inspiring woman and her story is an excellent one to tell - someone with a raw talent, who surprises the world and overturns all the odds to make a new life for herself," he said.

"It's got all the qualities of a fairytale, but with the added bonus of being absolutely true."

The Britain’s Got Talent runner-up has sold over 14 million albums worldwide. A film on SuBo’s life is also said to be in the works, with Glenn Close tipped to play the reclusive singer.