Diamonds are the former Cash Lady's best friend? Kerry Katona cast as Marilyn Monroe in Norma Jeane The Musical

Kerry Katona is to star in a new musical about Marilyn Monroe (Rex Features)

She may be better known for her appearances on Loose Women and I’m a Celebrity, but Kerry Katona is soon to hit the West End in the role of Marilyn Monroe.

The Atomic Kitten star announced on Twitter that she’d landed the lead in a new production of Norma Jeane The Musical.

In a statement on the show’s website, the recently bankrupt singer said: “I’m thrilled to have been given this opportunity to play one of the world’s biggest female icons and can’t wait to get to work.

“A successful career in drama has always been a main goal of mine and this role is a challenge but one I’m going to grab with both hands.”

Katona may not be the most obvious choice to take up the role of Marilyn Monroe, but the 32-year-old shares a similar chequered history to the Hollywood icon.

Both women come from deprived backgrounds, have been married three times, lived with depression and addiction problems, and have had significant amounts of plastic surgery.

Belvedere Pashun, writer and director of the new musical- whose show WAG! The Musical is currently debuting in the West End- said Katona was top of her list to portray Marilyn because of the experiences the two share.

She told The Sun: “Marilyn’s life was one of extremes- poverty, abandonment, abuse followed by flowering beauty which brought attention, fame, wealth and power and then the well documented tragic fall. I needed an actor of huge talent, personality and experience.”

Katona’s debut performance will take place in London in front of an invite-only audience on 22 September.

Monroe has previously been played by Michelle Williams in My Week With Marilyn.

Michelle Williams as Marilyn Monroe (AP)