Jake Quickenden will return to the role of Bob in a new nationwide tour of Rita, Sue & Bob Too! in 2027, it has been announced.
The stage and screen star previously played the role during the production’s successful 2025 tour and will once again lead Regal Entertainments’ acclaimed staging of Andrea Dunbar’s cult comedy classic.
The tour will visit 11 venues across Britain between 16 April and 4 July 2027, opening at St Helens Theatre Royal before travelling to Harrogate, Northampton, Lincoln, Billingham, Birmingham, Bradford, Southport, Malvern and Stockport. The run concludes at Liverpool Olympia, where the production plays from 30 June to 4 July.
Tickets for all venues are now on sale.
Quickenden first rose to prominence on The X Factor before finishing as runner-up on I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!. He has since become a familiar television personality, appearing in programmes including Celebrity MasterChef, Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins, Dancing on Ice and Jamie Johnson FC.
His stage credits include Hair the Musical, Friendiscal, Footloose and The Full Monty, alongside his previous appearance in Rita, Sue & Bob Too!.
Speaking about his return to the production, Quickenden said: “I had such a great time when we toured with Rita, Sue & Bob Too! last year – audiences up and down the country were so enthusiastic, and there’s a really warm family atmosphere among the Regal Entertainments team.
“So, when I was asked if I would like to return for a second UK tour, I jumped at the chance. Andrea Dunbar’s writing is brilliant, and the story of Rita, Sue and Bob is very funny but with a darker underside which dramatically really appeals to me. I can’t wait to get back on the road now as Bob.”
Further casting for the production will be announced at a later date.
Based on the 1987 British film, Rita, Sue & Bob Too! combines Andrea Dunbar’s sharp, uncompromising writing with a soundtrack of 1980s hits. The story follows teenagers Rita and Sue, whose lives are complicated when they both begin an affair with the married Bob, leading to a series of comic and dramatic consequences.
The production is directed by Chantelle Joseph and presented by Regal Entertainments Ltd.
Joseph said: “We’ve had a fabulous reaction to news that Rita, Sue and Bob Too! is going back out on the road for a second UK tour. And I’m really delighted that Jake Quickenden has agreed to return in the role of Bob.
“He was a huge hit with audiences up and down the country and really understands the role, so I know this latest outing for Andrea Dunbar’s classic comedy is going to be absolutely brilliant. Roll on 2027!”
The previous tour received strong audience response and sold-out performances at venues across the country, with the production now set to return for a second nationwide outing.
Listings and ticket information can be found here.
