Shrek-tacular! First picture of Kimberley Walsh as Princess Fiona as she prepares to take over from Amanda Holden

By Sarah Bull

Last updated at 7:44 PM on 22nd September 2011

It was announced earlier this year that Kimberley Walsh would be replacing Amanda Holden as Princess Fiona in Shrek The Musical in October.

And now the first picture of the 29-year-old star in full costume ahead of her debut in the show has been released.

Wearing a red wig, tiara and green dress, Kimberley looks calm and confident in the shot released by producers.

Shrek-tacular! The first picture of Kimberley Walsh as Princess Fiona in Shrek The Musical has been released

The Girls Aloud star also looks the spitting image of Amanda, who took on a very similar pose for her promotional shot in the musical.

Kimberley will be replacing Amanda in the role of Princess Fiona from October 5th.

The decision was made after Amanda announced she is expecting her second child, and insisted she would not be doing anything to jeopardise her pregnancy after a tragic miscarriage last year.

Spot the difference: Kimberley looked almost identical to Amanda Holden in her promotional shot (right)

She wrote on her website: 'My first priority is of course my family.I will therefore be adjusting one of my professional commitments accordingly.Due to its physical content this means I will end my contract with Shrek The Musical eight weeks early.

'I will endeavour to continue the show until October. I do however ask you to bear with me as I will be putting myself and this pregnancy first.'

Kimberley has been working hard to pursue her acting career since Girls Aloud announced they would be taking a hiatus.

Priorities: Kimberley will be replacing Amanda in the role after she announced she is pregnant with her second child

As well as starring in recent children's movie Horrible Henry, Kimberley took on the role of Eponine in Les Miserables for ITV2 documentary The Passions Of Girls Aloud back in 2009.

In fact, it was in Les Miserables that Kimberley first started her career, starring as Cosette when she was just twelve years old.

The production follows on from the blockbuster DreamWorks films about Shrek, a grumpy, smelly ogre, who is hiding a heart of gold.

The musical focuses on the story from the first film in which the hermit Shrek (Nigel Lindsay) is forced to face the world when the evil Lord Farquaad (Nigel Harman) exiles ‘freak’ fairy tale characters from his city and sends them to live in Shrek’s swamp.