Death In Paradise star Ralf Little has said it is a “huge privilege” to take on the lead role of secret service agent Alec Leamas in the stage adaptation of John le Carre’s The Spy Who Came In From The Cold.
The 45-year-old, known for The Royle Family, has recently appeared in Will And Ralf Should Know Better, which follows him and his Two Pints Of Lager And A Packet Of Crisps co-star Will Mellor navigating life as middle-aged men.
Little will front the cast in the production’s UK tour which kicks off in March this year, with shows in Newcastle, Glasgow, York, Edinburgh and Birmingham.
Set at the height of the Cold War, the novel follows a disillusioned British intelligence officer, who is forced to carry out one last operation in Berlin.
It is the first novel by Le Carre to have been adapted for the stage, having premiered with a sold-out production at Chichester Festival Theatre in 2024 before taking to London’s West End.
Little said: “It is a huge privilege to be stepping into the shoes of one of John le Carre’s great literary creations, Alec Leamas, as we bring the murky world of his Cold War masterpiece to life on stage.
“I first read The Spy Who Came In From The Cold when I was 16 and it has stayed with me ever since.
“Reading David Eldridge’s brilliant script, I once again found myself drawn into the story’s unexpected twists and turns, its high-stakes game of cat-and-mouse between East and West, which David has captured so thrillingly in the play.”
He added: “Despite being written in the 60s it feels startlingly relevant to the times we are living in now. I can’t wait to share this story with audiences old and new as we take it to cities right across the UK.”
In 2024, the actor stepped down from his role in Caribbean-set BBC crime show Death In Paradise as detective inspector Neville Parker.
While Little is known for his TV appearances, he received an Olivier nomination in 2002 for his role in Presence, which follows the early days of 1960s band The Beatles.
His theatre credits also include the National Theatre’s production of Ugly Lies The Bone, and Lambert Jackson’s White Rabbit, Red Rabbit.
The Spy Who Came in From the Cold, adapted by playwright and screenwriter Eldridge, will be directed by Jeremy Herrin and tour director Joe Lichtenstein.
The UK tour starring Little will kick off at the Curve Theatre in Leicester on March 12, and the tour will run until August 22 2026.
Further casting details are yet to be announced.
