Death in Paradise icon confirmed for new John Le Carre role in UK tour

Ralf Little will star in the upcoming stage version of John le Carré’s classic 1963 spy novel, The Spy Who Came in From the Cold.

During the Cold War, Alec Leamas, a British spy, is sent to East Germany pretending to be a defector. His mission is to spread false information and undermine a key figure in East German intelligence.

Neil Dudgeon, famous for his roles in ‘Death in Paradise‘ and ‘The Royle Family,’ will star as Alec Leamas in a new UK tour. This marks the first time any of John le Carré’s novels have been adapted for the stage.

The show will tour the country for six months, starting in Leicester on March 12th and finishing at the end of August. It will visit 21 different venues during the tour.

Little expressed his excitement about taking on the role, saying it’s a great honor to play Alec Leamas, a memorable character from John le Carré’s famous Cold War story, as they adapt it for the stage. He looks forward to bringing the story’s complex and shadowy world to life for audiences.

I first encountered The Spy Who Came in From the Cold at age 16, and it’s remained a powerful story for me ever since. David Eldridge’s adaptation immediately re-immersed me in the novel’s surprising plot, and his play brilliantly captures the intense, suspenseful rivalry between East and West.

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The play is a joint production by The Ink Factory and Second Half Productions. Though the full cast hasn’t been announced yet, it’s written by David Eldridge – known for his work on plays like Festen and End – and directed by Jeremy Herrin, with Joe Lichtenstein serving as tour director.

Ralf Little started his acting career in popular British comedies like The Royle Family and Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps. More recently, from 2020 to 2024, he played Detective Inspector Neville Parker on the show Death in Paradise.

He’s performed in several theatre productions, such as The Ladykillers, Dead Funny, and Presence, and was even nominated for an Olivier Award for his work in Presence.

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Authors

Phoebe Kowhai BarnesFreelance Writer

Phoebe Kowhai Barnes is a freelance writer specializing in pop culture and entertainment for TopMob. Before that, she was a Senior Assistant Editor at The Tab, where she oversaw their local team. She holds a BA (Hons) degree in English Literature from the University of Nottingham.

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2026-01-28 14:37