Quite why it's taken so long to make it to the stage is anyone's business but finally The Wedding Singer is booked to appear at Milton Keynes Theatre next month starring one of Britain's most popular entertainers.

Should the likes of Brucie decide to call it a day there could be no-one better to take over the mantle of Mr Entertainment than Jonathan Wilkes.

The likeable Mr Wilkes started off his career being better known as the best pal and flat-mate of singer Robbie Williams but he's gone on to prove that he's no hanger-on.

At just 29, he's already played Jesus in Godspell, Danny in Grease, wowed the West End in Guys and Dolls and strutted in stockings and suspenders as possibly the best Frank to appear in Rocky Horror, not to mention being a panto favourite in his home town of Stoke.

On television he's fronted variety shows and indulged in his other great love, footie, by producing, with pal Robbie, Soccer Aid, a week-long celebrity tournament that raised more than £2.5m for the children's charity,UNICEF.

But for the next few months he's playing Robbie Hart, a wedding singer from Ridgefield, New Jersey, complete with a 1985 mullet and a wardrobe full of fashion disasters.

Robbie gets dumped at the altar by the sexy Linda and spends the next two hours of the musical on a roller-coaster of love with waitress Julia (Two Pints of Lager's Natalie Casey).

Oddly, considering one of Robbie's backing band is dressed like Boy George, there isn't a single hit from Culture Club or any of the other 1985 songs referenced in the movie. Instead the producers have gone for a completely new score by Matthew Sklar and Chad Beguelin.

They've also written in a new final act, starring lookalikes of Billy Idol, Tina Turner, Margaret Thatcher, Mr T, Ronald Regan and Imeda Marcos which is far funnier that the film version.

Said Jonny: "I know a lot of people you interview will say 'come and see our show, it's great'. Well I genuinely mean it. People will have a lovely time and have a great fun night out.

"You're not going to watch Chekov or Shakespeare but you're going to have a bloody good night out. That's what's missing in today's world. Being able to go out and have a laugh."

Jonny is the first performer in this country to play Robbie, after the musical scored a huge hit on Broadway.

"I wasn't going to do theatre this year. I'd decided it was time to put my face back on TV a little bit. And I did - then this came along. I saw it on Broadway and I came back and told my manager that if it ever came to Britain I'd have to do it. If there is ever a part that has been written for me then this is the one.

"Then it came through and I said I've got to do it. I'm so pleased with it. I've done a lot of shows now but this is the one I've never been so excited about."

What attracted you to Robbie? I ask.

"Christ, that name will haunt me forever!" he jokes. "Which one? Robbie Hart? I am him. I am a wedding singer. When I had my pop career I never claimed to be a cool person because I'm not cool.

"I just like people and I love making people laugh and I love old fashioned entertainment.

"I've actually done four weddings as a wedding singer. This is how sad I am. When I go to a mate's wedding I take my backing track with me because any chance to get up on mic and make people have a good night, that's me.

"The director of this, Karen Bruce, said she wanted that cheeky, charming lad from Stoke-on-Trent. I want you as Robbie Hart. It's really hard to play yourself and be yourself each night with an American accent.

"When you do Frank n Furter or Danny Zuko, or Sky Masterson, you get dressed up and become that character. With this I have to be a cheeky, charming American, which is hard, because there's not many of them out there.

"If you watch any Adam Sandler film he plays the same role, the downtrodden lad who, hopefully, in the end, makes good.

"What I have to do in this show is remain the anchor and, like Sandler, build these zany characters around him. You've got the Boy George character, his mate Sammy, his eccentric granny. Let them do the comedy while you let the audience fall in love with me and Julia.

"Robbie's a born romantic and I like to think that I am too. My wife, Nicky, would say I am. I'm a people-pleaser, sometimes to my own detriment, but I don't want to change."

The show is exhausting for Jonny, who is on stage the entire time, but he shuns the gym as part of his fitness routine, claiming his frequent outings on the pitch keep him in shape. "Just don't look at the love-handles!" he wails.

He also has to wear a hair-piece – but is trying hard to grow a real mullet by May to complete the 1985 look.

Jon was only seven in 1985 so does he remember anything of the era? "I remember my sister with big hair that contained so much mousse in it, and the big shoulder pads. My mum also had one of those all-in-one romper suits (favoured by Anneka Rice and threatening to make a come-back) and big hair.

"One of my earliest memories, not surprisingly, was the 1986 World Cup and seeing Maradona and people like that, and Wham!

"I loved the music from 1985. Every night before I go on I listen to Starship – We Built This City and my other favourite eighties song of all time is Dexys Midnight Runners, Come on Eileen.

"Some of my favourite films, still, are Back To The Future and Karate Kid and I'm a massive Rocky fan. I know every word. I loved the 80s, I thought they were great.

"I went to the cinema to see The Wedding Singer because I love Adam Sandler, seen all his films. I wish we could have used the meatball scene from the movie – when his granny puts two meatballs into his hands as payment for singing lessons. She's just this weird wacky old lady who steals the show.

"Trish (Tricia Deighton) who plays her in our show is fab, she's such a darling.

"We've been quite brave here. We're doing a brand new musical without any recognisable songs which is something of a risk. But we didn't want it to be a jukebox musical and I think the songs sit so well in this. It's good to hear something fresh.

"It's such a strong cast but if you given them an inch they'll take a yard!

Sometimes we'll do things on stage and, for example, Nat will make me laugh, and I have to think horrible thoughts to get back on track.

"I think about my grandad dying, which then makes me depressed! It's horrible! But there is scope for corpsing sometimes."

Jon got married in Los Angeles in 2004 in front of his celebrity pals. So did he have a wedding singer at his do?

"No. My best man was Robbie but I wasn't having him sing at my wedding! I wanted a nice day!!

"But we came down the aisle to Luther Van Dross Here And Now. I was there waiting and Nicky was coming down with her dad.

"My friend, Lee, had one job, and that was to hit 'play' on track eight. He decided to hit the wrong track, hit track one which was the Janet Jackson/ Luther Van Dross, The Best Things In Life are Free which starts 'Are You Ready For This?

"I stood there and all I could hear was 'Are You Ready For This!"
Since then he's become a family man, with son Mickey born in 2006 and the family now live near Swindon.

"I can't go more than a few days without seeing him but at the end of the day daddy has to go and earn some money to pay for his shoes.

"Being a dad has changed my life. All of a sudden it's not about you any more. He is the best thing in my life. He's everything to me. Everything I do in life is about them, not me any more."

Jon and Robbie are planning another round of Soccer Aid in June and perhaps after this I'd like to do a play or do a bit of drama but I do love the musicals. Every time I think I should go away it keeps bringing me back!

"When I did Rocky Horror, I was this lad from Stoke that looked in the mirror the first day when I was dressed as a six foot seven transvestite thinking 'What do I look like? My mates are going to kill me'. Then I just became this super-hero. I was invincible. I don't think there will ever be another character like Frank. He is the ultimate role."

The Wedding Singer runs at Milton Keynes Theatre from May 26 to 31. For ticketds and information contact the box office 0870 060 6652 or online www.miltonkeynestheatre.com