Jason Donovan will return as Frank ‘n’ Furter for The Rocky Horror Show’s 2026 UK tour which opens in Edinburgh next January.
The Australian star will put his corset and heels back on for performances of The Rocky Horror Show at Edinburgh Playhouse Theatre, Liverpool Empire Theatre, Eastbourne Congress Theatre and Bristol Hippodrome.
He previously played Frank ‘n’ Furter during the 2024 tour and will share the role with Stephen Webb, who is returning after performing the role on tour and in the West End. They will be joined by a cast which includes James Bisp (Brad), Haley Flaherty (Janet), Ryan Carter-Wilson (Riff Raff) and Laura Bird (Magenta/Usherette).
Producer Howard Panter said: “We’re absolutely thrilled to welcome Jason Donovan back to this musical extravaganza as Frank ‘n’ Furter. Audiences can’t get enough of Jason, who is a natural fit for the role, bringing charisma, wit and an irresistible energy to every performance. His return is a true celebration of everything that makes the Rocky Horror Show such a global phenomenon - bold, brilliant, and not to missed.”
The 2026 UK tour opens at the Edinburgh Playhouse Theatre on 6th January 2026, where it will run until 10th January before visiting venues including the Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield, Leicester’s Curve Theatre and the Aylesbury Waterside Theatre, before closing at the Palace Theatre, Manchester on 1st August 2026.
Jason Donovan on stage
Jason Donovan first rose to prominence in the late 80s, playing Scott Robinson in the Australian TV series, Neighbours. After several chart hits he joined the cast of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat in the early 90s, before playing Frank ‘n’ Furter in the 25th anniversary production of The Rocky Horror Show on 25th May 1998.
He has also appeared in productions including Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, The Sound of Music, Annie Get Your Gun, The King’s Speech, Million Dollar Quartet and Jeff Wayne’s The War of The Worlds.
In 2024 he returned to The Rocky Horror Show to play Frank ‘n’ Furter for the first time since 1998.
About the show
First performed in the Royal Court’s Theatre Upstairs in 1973, The Rocky Horror Show tells the story of Brad and his fiancée Janet, two squeaky clean college kids who meet Dr Frank’n’Furter by chance when their car breaks down outside his house whilst on their way to visit their favourite college professor.
“Audiences can’t get enough of Jason, who is a natural fit for the role, bringing charisma, wit and an irresistible energy to every performance.”
Producer Howard Panter
It’s an adventure they’ll never forget, with fun, frolics, frocks and frivolity, bursting with timeless songs and outrageous outfits. The production is a guaranteed party, which famously combines science-fiction, horror, comedy and music while encouraging audience participation - meaning, of course, getting dressed-up in the most outrageous fancy dress.
The production features famous musical numbers including Sweet Transvestite, Science Fiction/Double Feature, Dammit Janet and the timeless Time Warp. The Rocky Horror Show has been seen by over 30 million people worldwide in more than 30 countries and translated into 20 languages as it continues to delight audiences on its sell-out tour.
Group bookings for The Rocky Horror Show are venue specific. For more information about the tour, visit rockyhorror.co.uk.
