The Bodyguard returns to Bristol Hippodrome

Producers, Michael Harrison and David Ian are delighted to announce that Emmerdale and Hollyoaks star Ayden Callaghan will join the previously announced Grammy-nominated, former Pussycat Doll, Melody Thornton for the forthcoming UK and Ireland tour of the award-winning international smash hit musical THE BODYGUARD in the roles of Frank Farmer and Rachel Marron respectively. The production opens at Glasgow Kings Theatre on Saturday 28 January 2023. Full tour schedule can be found below. www.thebodyguardmusical.com.

Further casting for the tour includes 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 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.

Ayden Callaghan is best known for his roles as Miles De Souza in Emmerdale and fan favourite Joe Roscoe in Hollyoaks. Additional television credits include Doctors, Eastenders, Bad Education, Casualty and The Bill. His stage credits include the roles of Dr Treves in The Elephant Man at The Trafalgar Studios, Malcolm in Alan Ayckbourn’s Bedroom Farce on UK Tour, directed by Peter Hall, and Dean Snaith in Ayckbourn’s If I Were You on UK Tour.

Melody Thornton is a multi-platinum Grammy-nominated artist, selling over 70 million albums as a member of one of the most celebrated girl groups of all time, The Pussycat Dolls. In 2020 she released her much-lauded debut solo EP, Lioness Eyes. Melody received rave reviews and audience acclaim for her performance as Rachel Marron when The Bodyguard toured China for six months. In 2018 she reached the final five in ITV’s Dancing On Ice, and most recently won The Masked Singer Australia.

Emily-Mae’s theatre credits include Disney’s Frozen and City of Angels both in the West End, Are You as Nervous as I Am? and Brooklyn the Musical at Greenwich Theatre, the National Tour of Paul Kerryson’s Hairspray, Little Shop of Horrors at Storyhouse, Chester and The Producers at the Royal Exchange.

John Macaulay’s theatre credits include the UK Tour of Fatal Attraction, The Comedy of Errors at Citizens Theatre, Glasgow and the RSC’s productions of The Merry Wives of Windsor, Romeo and Juliet and Macbeth. Graham Elwell’s credits include Of Mice and Men at the Birmingham Rep and UK Tour, and the role of Carlos in the UK Tour of The Last Of The Duty Free. His screen credits include BBC’s The Miniaturist and Trying for Apple TV. James Groom’s theatre credits include the titular role of Killer Joe at the Trafalgar Theatre. His television credits include ITV’s Emmerdale and BBC’s The First Team. Marios Nicolaides’ theatre credits include the role of Frank Jr in Saturday Night Fever both in the West End and UK Tour, Annie at the Piccadilly Theatre and in Toronto, and the UK Tour of Thoroughly Modern Millie. Fergal Coghlan most recently appeared in Sus at the Park Theatre, and For King and Country at the Southwark Playhouse. His television credits include ITV’s Emmerdale, HBO’s Watchmen and Channel 4’s Humans.

Former Secret Service agent turned bodyguard, Frank Farmer, is hired to protect superstar Rachel Marron from an unknown stalker. Each expects to be in charge; what they don’t expect is to fall in love. A romantic thriller, THE BODYGUARD features a host of irresistible classics including Queen of the Night, So Emotional, One Moment in Time, Saving All My Love, Run to You, I Have Nothing, I Wanna Dance with Somebody and one of the biggest hit songs of all time – I Will Always Love You.

Based on Lawrence Kasdan’s 1992 Oscar nominated Warner Bros. movie starring Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner, THE BODYGUARD, directed by Thea Sharrock with book by Oscar winning Alex Dinelaris, had its world premiere at the Adelphi Theatre in London’s West End and was nominated for four Olivier Awards. A sell out 18 month UK and Ireland tour followed, before the show returned to the West End at the Dominion Theatre ahead of a second sell out tour of the UK and Ireland in 2018/19.  To date, THE BODYGUARD has played to over 3.6 million people in 15 countries and 45 US cities. Countries include the Netherlands, Germany, South Korea, China, Canada, Italy, Australia, Spain, France, the US, Austria and Japan.