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The Osmonds will be the subject of a new musical.

The ‘Crazy Horses’ hitmakers – brothers Alan, Wayne, Merrill, Jay, and Donny – will have the darker side of their success, including their ruthless former army sergeant George’s merciless training of the group and the way their financial advisers conned them out of millions, explored in a new stage production, which is based on Jay Osmond’s memoir, ‘Stages’.

Referring to George’s treatment of his sons, choreographer Bill Deamer, who is working on ‘The Osmonds: A New Musical’, said: “If that happened now, people would hold their hands up in horror. That was cruelty.

“It’s not a jukebox musical. It’s the story of their lives.”

The production – which will be directed by Shaun Kerrison – will open at the Curve in Leicester on 3 February before embarking on a UK tour and producers Hamish Greer and Tom De Keyser hope it will transfer to London’s West End if the regional dates prove successful.

Jamie Chatterton, Danny Nattrass, Ryan Anderson, Alex Lodge and Joseph Peacock will play Alan, Wayne, Merrill, Jay and Donny respectively after undergoing several rounds of auditions.

Donny recently revealed he felt “so lonely” as a teenage superstar because despite being surrounded by screaming fans at the group’s shows, he was always alone afterwards.

He said: “I was just so lonely.

“You go back to the early 1970s, and you’ve got literally thousands of screaming girls at those concerts yelling your name but then you go back to a very quiet hotel or the bus.

“I learned what loneliness is in life.”

However, that all changed for him when he married his wife Debra in 1978, and he hailed his partner as his “saving grace”, while reflecting on the “romantic” moments they still share.

He added: “She’s been my saving grace. My confidante and friend.

“Last night, we were out in the garden talking as were pulling weeds and watering plants. In its own little way, it was a very romantic evening.”