Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbott, formerly of The Beautiful South, have announced an intimate warm-up show at Warrington’s Parr Hall ahead of a stadium performance in Hull.

The much-loved duo and their band chose the town as the venue for this special show which will take place on Thursday 1 June, before they head to the northern city’s KC Lightstream Stadium two days later to celebrate its status as the U.K.’s City of Culture 2017.

Paul Heaton first came to public attention in the early 80s as frontman of Hull-based indie poppers The Housemartins, the same group which spawned Norman ‘Fatboy Slim’ Cook.

In 1988 Heaton formed The Beautiful South, who released 10 hugely successful albums – Welcome To The Beautiful South (’89), Choke (’90), 0898 Beautiful South (’92), Miaow (’94), Blue Is The Colour (’96), Quench (’98), Painting It Red (2000), Gaze (’03), Golddiggas, Headnodders & Pholk Songs (’04) and Superbi (’06).

In 2001 Heaton took a break from The Beautiful South and released his first solo album Fat Chance and The Beautiful South called it a day in 2007 citing “musical similarities”.

Jacqui Abbott was lead vocalist in The Beautiful South from ’94 to 2000 and sang many of their signature hits including Rotterdam, Perfect 10, Don’t Marry Her and Dream A Little Dream.

Paul Heaton went on to release two further solo albums – The Cross-Eyed Rambler (’08) and Acid Country (’10) – and in 2011 wrote a musical called The 8th based on the Seven Deadly Sins, asking Jacqui to sing one of the parts.

They have since released two acclaimed albums as a duo – What Have We Become (’14) and Wisdom, Laughter and Lines (’15).

Tickets go on sale at 9.30am this Friday, 5th May and will be limited to two per transaction