Ayden Callaghan and Melody Thornton lead the cast The Bodyguard. Picture: Paul Coltas and Matt Crockett
Former soap favourite Ayden Callaghan will join the previously announced ex-Pussycat Doll, Melody Thornton when hit musical The Bodyguard hits the road for its third UK and Ireland tour in 2023.
Best known for his roles in Emmerdale and Hollyoaks, Callaghan will play Frank Farmer opposite Thornton who will return as Rachel Marron after winning rave reviews for her performance in the role on tour in China,
Produced by Michael Harrison and David Ian, the tour will open at Glasgow King’s Theatre on 28 January 2023 before visiting Bradford, Sunderland, Edinburgh, Stoke, Wimbledon, Liverpool, Dartford, Manchester, Leicester, Cardiff, Aberdeen, Wolverhampton, Bromley, Southend, Milton Keynes, Leeds, Llandudno, Plymouth, Nottingham and Bristol. Further venues will be announced at a later date.
The tour cast also includes Emily-Mae (Frozen, West End) as Nicki Marron, John Macaulay (Fatal Attraction, UK tour) as Bill Devaney, Graham Elwell (Of Mice and Men, Birmingham Rep/UK tour) as Tony, James Groom (Killer Joe, Trafalgar Theatre) as Sy Spector, Marios Nicolaides (Saturday Night Fever, West End/UK tour) as Stalker and Fergal Coghlan (For King and Country, Southwark Playhouse) as Ray Court. The role of Fletcher will be shared by Kaylenn Aires Fonseca, Iesa Miller, Frankie Keita and Reneo Kusi-Appauh.
The cast is completed by Alexandros Beshonges, Kayne Gordon, Jack Hardwick, Kalisha Johnson, James Lee Harris, Samantha Mbolekwa, Abbie Quinnen, Kellie Rhianne, Charlotte Scally, Yiota Theo and Marco Venturini.
Based on Laurence Kasdan’s blockbuster Whitney Houston/Kevin Costner movie, The Bodyguard musical received its world premiere in November 2012. Directed by Thea Sharrock, with a book by writer Alex Dinelaris (Birdman), the original production featured Heather Headley in the extended role of Rachel Marron and Lloyd Owen as her bodyguard, Frank Farmer.
Recording artist Beverley Knight took over the central role a year later, with former X Factor champion Alexandra Burke taking over from Knight in 2014 before playing the role in the show’s first UK and Ireland tour in 2016. Knight stepped back in to play Marron again when the show returned to the West End at the end of 2016 and in to early 2017, while Burke returned to headline the second UK and Ireland tour in 2018.
The Bodyguard has played to over 3.6 million people in 15 countries including the Netherlands, Germany, South Korea, Canada, Italy, Australia, Spain, France, the US, Austria and Japan.
Angela Thomas
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