Benidorm upon Tyne
THE cast of Benidorm Live! is now announced and we can reveal which of the TV show’s stars will be coming to Newcastle for the world premiere.
Following news the city is to host the first live stage version of the ITV hit, excitement has been building over the stars who might have signed up.
After being kept under wraps, the cast is unveiled today and Geordie fans of the long-running series will be delighted to learn that six of their favourite characters will be here for next year’s debut run at the Theatre Royal.
Series writer Derren Litten, who has penned an entirely new story for the Benidorm regulars, had promised a selection of top characters from across the series’ 10-year history.
And he has certainly delivered with the likes of swinger Jacqueline, played by Janine Duvitski, who has been in the series since it made its debut a decade ago, and lothario barman Mateo Castellanos - played by Swiss-Italian dancer and actor Jake Canuso - who was also introduced to viewers from the very start and recently made a comeback in the series.
Familiar faces joining them for fun in the sun will include Sherrie Hewson the former Coronation Street actress and Loose Women presenter - who is another firm favourite with viewers in the role of manageress Joyce Temple-Savage; Shelley Longworth who has also made a return to the series as loudmouth Sam Wood; and Tony Maudsley as Blow ‘n’ Go salon owner Kenneth Du Beke who has a love-hate relationship with Joyce.
The sixth member of the cast is Adam Gillen as Liam Conroy, son of the transvestite Les/Lesley who is played by Tim Healy.
North East fans no doubt will be disappointed to hear the local actor, who rejoined the TV series following a spell of illness, will not be appearing in the live show when it opens at the Theatre Royal next September. But the fact so many of the central cast have been able to commit to it will have delighted Derren Litten who has wanted to created a stage version of his TV hit for years. He has teamed up with local producer Michael Harrison to recreate all the sunny delights of Solana Resort on the Theatre Royal stage. He has promised its fans: “It will be the bright, colourful, brash, lively Benidorm you’ve grown to love - hopefully - over the last 10 years.” The holidaymakers and staff characters are now all set for a sangria-fuelled Alicante escapade and Derren himself will join them in Newcastle for the September 7-15 debut. He said: “I’ve loved 10 years of writing my TV show Benidorm but despite a successful writing career I’m first and foremost a performer so have always been secretly frustrated I couldn’t hear the audiences’ laughter. “This national tour of Benidorm Live! will not only make a long lasting dream come true but will also mean I no longer have to stand in strangers’ gardens listening at their windows at 9o’clock on cold winter evenings!” After Newcastle audiences are the first to see the show’s September 7-15 run, it will go on tour. Before that the 10th season of the TV series is due to be broadcast in early 2018.