'Drop the Dead Donkey' returns as stage show with original cast

Beloved Channel 4 sitcom, Drop the Dead Donkey, from the 1990s is set for a stage revival with its original cast.

The classic comedy series Drop the Dead Donkey, which aired for six successful seasons from 1990 to 1998, is making a comeback in the form of a new stage production featuring the original cast members.

Set in the fictional TV newsroom of GlobeLink News, the show followed the daily adventures of editor George Den and his team, including memorable characters like Gus Hedges, Damian Day, and Sally Smedley.

The play, titled Drop the Dead Donkey: The Reawakening!, has been penned by the show's creators, Andy Hamilton and Guy Jenkin. It will take the characters on a journey into the high-pressure world of modern 24-hour news gathering, as they navigate the challenges of social media, fake news, and interim prime ministers.

The original cast members, including Stephen Tompkinson, Neil Pearson, Susannah Doyle, Robert Duncan, Ingrid Lacey, Jeff Rawle, and Victoria Wicks, are reuniting to bring these beloved characters back to life on stage.

Starting in January and running until June, the production will tour across the UK, kicking off at Richmond Theatre and concluding at Cheltenham's Everyman Theatre.

Stephen Tompkinson, who played the enthusiastic reporter Damian said, "What excites me the most is being back with the cast – we’ve known each other for 30-odd years and this is a whole new adventure."