From seaside to city for TV stars as Benidorm heads to Birmingham
The nation’s most outrageous TV sitcom is heading to the West Midlands – and the stars of the show say they can’t wait.
Benidorm Live will open at The Alexandra on December 3 and continue until December 29, having sold out in cities and towns around the UK since hitting the road earlier this year.
It will feature stars Jake Canuso (Mateo), Janine Duvitski (Jacqueline), Adam Gillen (Liam), Sherrie Hewson (Joyce Temple-Savage), Shelley Longworth (Sam), Tony Maudsley (Kenneth) and series creator Derren Litten as Derek.
Sherrie Hewson, who has also starred on Coronation Street, Emmerdale and Birmingham soap Crossroads, said she was thrilled to be back in the Second City.
She said: “It’s going to be absolutely fantastic. The crowds have been going wild for Benidorm Live and there have been standing ovations wherever we’ve gone. It’s a great show and it’s so exciting to be in Birmingham for four weeks over Christmas.”
Tony Maudsley, who plays the hotpants-wearing Kenneth, said: “It’s an outrageous production with laughter from start to finish. It gives people an alternative to the panto – or they can go and see both. The moment I get my hotpants on I can be as outrageous as I like.”
The smash-hit ITV comedy attracted viewing figures between five and six million for the recent final series and it made its stage debut this year.
ITV’s award-winning comedy has enjoyed more than a decade of all-inclusive hilarity and the play features an ensemble cast of holiday makers and staff.
Litten has written an all-new set of Alicante escapades for the much-loved cast members as they swap sangria for the stage - after a quick spruce up at the Blow ‘n’ Go.
Hewson added: “We had such fun on the recent series and the wedding scene with my character Joyce Temple-Savage was one of the funniest things I’ve ever done in my life.
“Getting the opportunity to bring that to the stage is incredible and we really are looking forward to the curtain going up.”
