Lord Lloyd-Webber will make some of his hit musicals available to watch for free on YouTube during the coronavirus crisis.

Theatres around the country are closed in an effort to slow the spread of the illness but fans from around the world will be able to enjoy the productions when The Shows Must Go On channel launches on April 3.

It will begin with the 2000 version of Joseph And The Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, inspired by the West End production and starring Donny Osmond, Maria Friedman, Sir Richard Attenborough and Dame Joan Collins.

Donny Osmond as Joseph (YouTube/TheShowsMustGoOn/PA)

The second production to be made available will be rock musical Jesus Chris Superstar, which was recorded in 2012 starring Tim Minchin, Melanie C and Chris Moyles.

It will be available on April 10, which is Good Friday.

Each show will be available for free from 7pm on the day of release for 48 hours, and further shows will be announced.

Melanie Chisholm in Jesus Christ Superstar (Tristram Kenton/YouTube/TheShowsMustGoOn/PA)

Alongside full-length shows, clips of famous performances and behind-the-scenes footage will also be uploaded regularly to the channel.

Fans who wish to make a charitable donation will find a variety of suggested organisations listed on the full-length YouTube channel videos, including Acting for Others, Broadway Cares and Actors Benevolent Fund.