The National Theatre has announced casting news for its highly anticipated national tour of Dear England, which shows at Birmingham Hippodrome in 2026.

Leading the cast will be David Sturzaker as England manager Gareth Southgate, with East Enders and Mount Pleasant actress Samantha Womack playing the role of team psychologist Pippa Grange.  Football and non-football fans alike will be brought to their feet for this inspiring, at times heartbreaking, and ultimately uplifting story of Gareth Southgate’s revolutionary tenure as England manager.

David Sturzaker is best known for playing Simon Bond in BBC One’s Doctors.  Theatre credits include Captain Stanhope in Journey’s End (West End), To Kill a Mockingbird (West End), Charles II (The Globe/West End) and Torvald Helmer in A Doll’s House (Royal Exchange).  Other screen credits include Endeavour (ITV), Da Vinci’s Demons (STARZ) and Father Brown (BBC One).

Samantha Womack is best known for playing Ronnie Mitchell in BBC One’s EastEnders.  She has also starred in Game On (BBC Two) and Mount Pleasant (Sky) on TV, represented the United Kingdom at the Eurovision Song Contest and performed leading stage roles in the West End and on tour.  Theatre credits include Rachel in The Girl on the Train and The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe (West End and UK Tours), 42nd Street and Morticia in The Addams Family (UK tours) and more.

Further casting to be announced.

It’s time to change the game. The country that gave the world football has since delivered a painful pattern of loss. The England men’s team has the worst track record for penalties in the world, and manager Gareth Southgate knows he needs to open his mind and face up to the years of hurt to take team and country back to the promised land.

Dear England comes to Birmingham Hippodrome from Tuesday 10 March until Saturday 14 March 2026. Tickets can be booked at birminghamhippodrome.com