Former Coronation Street actor to star in the new version of Peter James’ Picture You Dead at Lowry

National Television Award winner and former Coronation Street actor Peter Ash will be starring in Picture You Dead at Lowry.

The new version of Peter James show will be the seventh DSI Roy Grace mystery to come to the stage from Wednesday 16 until Saturday 19 April.

The story will follow DSI Roy Grace who will be investigating a cold case that leads him to the secretive world of fine art, but beneath the respectable veneer lurks a dark underworld of deception and murder.

When one unsuspecting couple unearth a potentially priceless masterpiece, they discover that their dream find is about to turn into their worst nightmare.

And only Grace can stop them from paying the ultimate price.

The play will feature 2024 NTA winning actor, Peter Ash, will return to the stage as David Hegarty, following his acclaimed and unforgettably emotional exit from Coronation Street in September. 

With Peter returning to the stage after starring as the lead role in the National Theatre’s War Horse at the Lowry in 2014.

The former Coronation Street star will also be joined by Fiona Wade, who after 11 years in Emmerdale, took to the stage earlier this year in the hit 2:22 A Ghost Story.

The pair will be joined by West End favourite Jodie Steele, who will be playing Roberta Kilgore and one of the nation’s favourite TV doctors, George Rainsford, (Casualty, and Call the Midwife) will return to reprise the role of Peter James’ famous literary detective, DSI Roy Grace.

Ahead of the performance, Peter James said: “It is truly incredible for me to see the seventh stage adaptation of my books coming to theatres in 2025.

“I am so grateful to the hundreds of thousands of people around the country who have come to their local theatre and enjoyed the plays over the last 10 years, and I am thrilled to tell you all that personally, I think this brand new play, is the best one so far!”

Peter continued: “On top of that, I could not be more delighted by the fantastic cast that we have assembled to star in the World Premiere production of Picture You Dead.

“They are all brilliant actors and it’s going to be a great and thrilling night at the theatre!”

Roy Grace is a crime fiction phenomenon – the books have sold over twenty-three million copies worldwide, been previously adapted for six hugely successful stage productions.

The story of Picture You Dead was inspired by Peter’s meeting with real life art forger and now acclaimed copyist, David Henty.

The world premiere tour of Picture You Dead marks the latest and seventh thrilling theatre adaptation of his books and is the most successful modern-day crime franchise on stage, since Agatha Christie.

Audiences of the Lowry will be able to watch this new version of Peter James’ Picture You Dead from Wednesday 16 until Saturday 19 April – and find more information about the show and tickets here.