Chaotic priest Father Ted could be set to return, according to writer Graham Linehan. Although we won't be seeing any new episodes of the comedy series on our televisions, Linehan believes the shambolic exploits of Fathers Ted, Dougal and Jack as well as the tea-pushing housekeeper Mrs Doyle, could be ripe for a stage show.

He told the Radio Times, "I have this vision of a dance number, with spinning cardinals."

If Linehan's vision were to become a reality, Father Ted wouldn't be the first show to move from television to theatre.

Here are five more shows that made the leap from box to boards.

 

The X Factor

The nation's favourite singing show seemed set to take the theatre world by storm after it was announced that TV funny man Harry Hill would pen a musical based on Simon Cowell's talent search.

I Can't Sing! opened in March 2014 but closed just six weeks later due to poor ticket sales.

Peppa Pig

 

Peppa Pig's Big Splash (Credit: Peppa Pig Live)

The porcine protagonist of the animated children's series has enjoyed a number of stage outings, most recently in Peppa Pig's Big Splash, which saw her and her friends organise a fete to raise funds to fix a leak in the nursery roof.

As well as shows on stage and screen, fans can also live like Peppa at Peppa Pig World in Hampshire.

 

 

Jerry Springer the Opera

Jerry Springer the Opera (Photo in public domain)

Widely claimed to have included 8000 obscenities, Jerry Springer the Opera, based on Springer's talk show, caused quite a stir when it was aired on BBC Two in 2005. Ofcom received over 9000 complaints after the broadcast, most being allegations of blasphemy.

Despite the controversy, the opera was a hit, winning the Evening Standard's Award for Best Musical in 2003 and multiple Laurence Olivier awards in 2004 before going on to tour the UK and the USA.

 

Acorn Antiques

ʐhil McIntyre Entertainments Ltd. 2005 All rights reserved.

In 2005, Victoria Wood took her soap parody Acorn Antiques to the West End. 

Actors Celia Imrie, Julie Walters and Duncan Preston reprised their roles from the television series, which follows the lives of the staff of an antiques shop in the fictional town of Manchesterford.

The musical's original three-month run was nominated for three Olivier awards, including a win for Celia Imrie as Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical.

Happy Days

Original Fonz actor Henry Winkler is acting as Creative Consultant to the new touring production of Happy Days. The tour, starring Sugababe Heidi Range, Cheryl Baker of Bucks Fizz fame and Emmerdale's Ben Freeman, kicks off this week in Bromley.

Not to be confused with the Samuel Beckett play of the same name, the musical, like the TV show, sees 1950s family the Cunninghams battle to save their favourite diner, Arnold's.

With such a diverse range of TV shows already on the stage, there's plenty of scope for a Father Ted musical to shine.

By Pippa Shawley

@PippaShawley