Former Eastenders stars Adam Woodyatt and Laurie Brett, who played longtime married couple Ian and Jane Beale, are reuniting on stage at the Orchard Theatre.

They will be dusting off their wedding vows as they once again perform as husband and wife, this time in Peter James’ murder mystery Looking Good Dead.

“It’s great working with Laurie again, it’s very easy, comfortable,” says Adam. “There is a familiarity that’s just there.”

“Adam and I had an instant chemistry way back in 2004,” adds Laurie, who made her last appearance on Albert Square in 2017. “Whether it’s on stage or on screen, we’ve got a shorthand that you’ve either got or you haven’t, so we’re very lucky in that respect.”

The stage adaptation of Looking Good Dead, based on Peter James’ 2006 novel, is currently touring the UK. The show will make its debut in Dartford from Monday, February 28.

“I’m so looking forward to getting to see some parts of the country that I have never visited before,” Adam admits. “I’ve done the same job for 36 years so to have a chance to go and enjoy myself touring the country is so exciting for me.”

Adam has played the role of East End resident Ian Beale since the soap’s first episode in 1985. During his time on the square, Ian has married five different women, including Laurie’s character Jane Beale, and endured homelessness, rivalries and the death of his daughter in the iconic Who Killed Lucy Beale storyline.

He said goodbye to Albert Square in January last year, making him the longest-serving main character in the show’s history.

Adam and Laurie are now both swapping the screen for the stage in Peter James’ tense thriller.

“It’s a really brilliant production,” comments Adam. “Peter James’ story is excellent and the script has been adapted beautifully.”

“It's a story about a normal married couple who suffer the consequences after bringing an abandoned memory stick home,” explains Laurie. “There’s going to be lots of laughs, gasps, and a brilliant twist. I can normally work out a twist at the end, and I can say that when I read the script for the first time, I did not see it coming! The outcome is very surprising.”

Looking Good Dead runs at the Orchard Theatre in Dartford from Monday, February 28 to Saturday, March 5.

Book tickets online here or call 03433 100 033.