Zoe Birkett set to star in The Bodyguard tour

Zoe Birkett, who is currently on stage in The Great British Bake Off Musical, will reprise the role of Rachel Marron in the touring production of The Bodyguard.

Birkett, who previously played the part in 2015, will appear at the Hawth Theatre in Crawley from Monday 24 July to Saturday 29 July, and later at the Bournemouth Pavilion from Monday 7 August to Saturday 12 August. She will then travel to Newcastle Theatre Royal (15 to 19 August), Cheltenham Everyman Theatre (21 to 26 August) and Norwich Theatre Royal (28 August to 3 September).

She will perform alongside Ayden Callaghan as Frank Farmer, Emily-Mae as Nicki Marron, John Macaulay as Bill Devaney, Graham Elwell as Tony, James Groom as Sy Spector, Marios Nicolaides as Stalker and Fergal Coghlan as Ray Court. The role of Fletcher will be shared by Kaylenn Aires Fonseca, Iesa Miller, Frankie Keita and Reneo Kusi-Appauh.

The rest of the cast includes Alexandros Beshonges, Kayne Gordon, Jack Hardwick, Kalisha Johnson, James Lee Harris, Samantha Mbolekwa, Abbie Quinnen, Kellie Rhianne, Charlotte Scally, Yiota Theo and Marco Venturini.

Birkett’s other credits include Arabia in the original cast of Moulin Rouge! the Musical in London’s West End and as the highest placed female contestant in the first series of ITV’s Pop Idol.

The Bodyguard is produced by Michael Harrison and David Ian and features iconic Whitney Houston songs such as “I Will Always Love You” and “I Wanna Dance With Somebody.” It tells the story of a famous singer who falls in love with her bodyguard.