Television favourite Nicholas Bailey and acclaimed actress Susan Penhaligon have been announced as the first cast members for the 75th anniversary UK tour of Agatha Christie’s legendary thriller The Mousetrap.

Bailey, best known for playing Dr Anthony Trueman in EastEnders, will take on the role of Major Metcalf, while Penhaligon, whose television credits include A Fine Romance, Emmerdale and Bergerac, will play Mrs Boyle.

Producer Brian Fenty confirmed the pair will lead the milestone tour, which begins in September 2026 and continues into 2027 as part of wider celebrations marking the play’s 75th anniversary. Additional casting and creative team announcements are expected in the coming months.

First staged in 1952, The Mousetrap remains the world’s longest-running play and recently celebrated its 30,000th West End performance, receiving a Guinness World Records certificate for the longest theatrical run.

The classic murder mystery follows a group of strangers stranded in a remote guesthouse during a snowstorm, where suspicion grows after a shocking murder and a police warning reveals the killer may already be among them.

The anniversary tour will open at Birmingham's Alexandra Theatre from 3 - 12 September 2026 before travelling across the UK and Ireland. West Midlands audiences will also have the chance to catch the production at Stoke-on-Trent's Regent Theatre from 1 - 6 March 2027, Lichfield Garrick from 8 - 13 March 2027, and Malvern Theatres from 4 - 8 May 2027.