Final year students from the BRIT School of Performing Arts will be hoping to take their first steps into show business this Friday when they take over the Radio Two airwaves.

The musical theatre pupils will be on Friday Night is Music Night performing a host of well-known showtunes at the Mermaid Theatre in London alongside the BBC Concert Orchestra led by Michael Reed.

Il Divo, Tom Baxter, Mica Paris and I’d Do Anything winner Jodie Prenger have all appeared on the weekly show recently and the teenagers will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of previous Brit School pupils Amy Winehouse, Kate Nash and Leona Lewis and break into the big time.

Set up by BRIT School governors John Craig and Lewis Carnie, now acting controller of Radio Two following the demise of Lesley Douglas in the wake of the Russell Brand prank calls row, the show will be presented by acclaimed West End and Broadway actress Ruthie Henshall.

The theme for the evening is innovations in musical theatre, featuring tunes from Oklahoma, West Side Story, Les Miserables, Evita, Guys and Dolls, A Chorus Line, The Lion King and a specially released arrangement of a song from the new London production of Oliver.

Mermaid Theatre, Puddle Dock, Blackfriars, Live on Radio 2 (88.8FM), November 21, 7.30pm.