The cast for the official Grease prequel has been announced

"I got chills. They're multiplyin'"

John Travolta and Olivia Newton John in Grease
Author: Anna Sky MagliolaPublished 1st Feb 2022

It might have been released more than 40 years ago, but the film Grease still has a cult following and we're so excited to hear the news that an official prequel has already started filming! Not only was it a great film, it was the iconic film that started the careers of John Travolta and Olivia Newton John.

John Travolta and Olivia Newton John

Set four years before the original Grease, in 1954, Grease: Rise of The Pink Ladies will follow how the Pink Ladies became the iconic high school girls.

The new series, commissioned by Paramount + has already started filming, and will star Marisa Davila, Cheyenne Isabel Wells, Ari Notartomaso and Tricia Fukuhara, as well as Jackie Hoffman as Assistant Principal McGee.

Marisa will play the role of Jane. The actress, who starred in Netflix's I Am Not Okay With This, took to Instagram to share news of her exciting new role saying: 'Hardest secret I’ve ever had to keep💖

'I am not exaggerating when I say this is my BIGGEST dream come true. I am so honored to get to be a part of such an iconic musical legacy with an incredible cast. (pinching myself daily) Thank you to my team, my family and everyone who has helped me on this journey.

'We’re comin’ for you Rydell High😎 Grease: @riseofthepinkladies is coming soon to @paramountplus ! Can’t wait for you to see the magic✨'.

The 10-part series will be set in the same high school made famous in the original film, Rydell High, and is expected to be released later this year.

Speaking about the new series, Nicole Clemens, president of Paramount Television Studios & Paramount Plus Original Scripted Series said: "We are thrilled to unveil our new original series that will introduce an incredible cast of young stars in the making and electrifying musical numbers you will fall in love with."

She went on to say how the writers and producers have: "Managed to brilliantly capture the spirit of the iconic beloved classic film which like ‘Rise of the Pink Ladies,’ is both set in the past but relevant to the present."

We can't wait to see this when it is finally released.

Now take a look at 17 TV shows we REALLY wish would make a comeback:

SM:TV Live

Our Saturday mornings were made better with three hours of sketches, competitions and cartoons brought to us by a fresh-faced Cat Deeley and Ant and Dec. Remember the "Chums" sketch? Or Wonky Donkey!

Gladiators

Watching pro athletes battle contestants in an epic 'survival of the fittest' was awesome TV. Plus with characters named like Wolf, Storm and Pather, how could it lose?

Footballers' Wives

Broadcasting between 2002-2006, Footballers' Wives followed fictional Premier League football club Earls Park, as well as all of the drama from both the players and their fiery wives!

Friends

It's the question we've all been asking for the last 10 years, but in 2020 all six members of the Friends cast reunited! Thankfully we will get a fresh take on the series soon as the main six cast members are reuniting for a one-off special to look back at the show, although it's been postponed due to the Coronavirus.

Bad Girls

Set inside a fictional women's prison, Bad Girls aired on ITV between 1996-2006 and featured some very famous faces, including Claire King and Debra Stephenson.

The Bill

First broadcast in 1983, police drama The Bill certainly proved popular, airing until 2010. The show focused on the lives and work of police officers and starred well-known actors such as Trudie Goodwin, Graham Cole and Mark Wingett.

Sabrina the Teenage Witch

She was confident, funny, magical AND she had a talking cat. Sabrina made us all want to be a witch!

Ugly Betty

Believe it or not, it's been a massive 10 years since Ugly Betty last aired on our screens! The show, which featured actress America Ferrera, followed a character called Betty Suarez, who despite her lack of 'style', landed a job at a very prestigious fashion magazine.

Where The Heart Is

The British drama, which was filmed in the Yorkshire town of Skelthwaite, proved very popular with viewers between 1997-2006, showcasing the lives of a group of district nurses and their families.

It's a Knockout

It was stupid, it was crazy, but it was certainly fun! It's a Knockout started way back in 1966, but the show made a number of returns on BBC, Channel 4 and Channel 5!

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

Although all episodes of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air are now on Netflix, we'd love to see Will Smith get back into his character alongside Carlton Banks.

Stars In Their Eyes

A true classic! Stars In Their Eyes, originally hosted by Leslie Crowther, first aired in 1990 with Matthew Kelly taking over in 1993. The show did make a return with Harry Hill in 2015, but it didn't quite take off!

The Queen's Nose

Who would have thought that rubbing a 50p coin would be so interesting? We used to love watching the adventures of Harmony as she used up her magic wishes.

Fun House

We used to love watching two schools battle each other in three rounds of madness. Bring back the gunge and Pat Sharp's crazy hairstyles!

Grange Hill

Despite being at school all day, we loved to come home and watch other people be at school. Strange. But gripping story lines and relatable characters had us glued to our screens.

Now read:

17 TV shows we REALLY wish would make a comeback

John Travolta recreates iconic Grease dance scene with his daughter

How to listen to Greatest Hits Radio:

Listen to Greatest Hits Radio on the free Rayo app, online or on your DAB digital radio. You can also listen on your smart speaker by saying “Play Greatest Hits Radio”.