Peter Ash stars in Picture You Dead

National Television Award winner and former Coronation Street actor Peter Ash stars in the new stage version of Peter James’ Picture You Dead at Salford's Lowry arts centre April 16-19. Ash, from Moston, Manchester, returns to live theatre after his acclaimed and emotional exit from Coronation Street last September where his Corrie character Paul Foreman had a long and ulitmately fatal battle with MND.

Peter’s other credits include Footballers’ Wives and the lead role in the National Theatre’s War Horse, which he performed at Lowry in 2014.

Peter Ash

The seventh DSI Roy Grace mystery to be adapted for the stage from the original novel, Picture You Dead has DSI Grace back home in Brighton where he investigates a cold case that leads him to the secretive world of fine art where beneath the respectable veneer lurks a dark underworld of deception and murder. The story was inspired by the author's meeting with real life art forger and now acclaimed copyist, David Henty.

Joining Peter is Fiona Wade who, following 11 years in Emmerdale, took to the stage earlier this year in the hit 2:22 A Ghost Story and will soon be seen in the Fox comedy series, Going Dutch.

One of the nation’s favourite TV doctors, George Rainsford (Casualty, Call the Midwife) reprises the role of Grace, which he played in the 2023 production of Wish You Were Dead.

Peter James said: “It is truly incredible for me to see the seventh stage adaptation of my books coming to theatres in 2025. I am so grateful to the hundreds of thousands of people around the country who have come to their local theatre and enjoyed the plays over the last 10 years and I am thrilled to tell you all that, personally, I think this brand new play, is the best one so far!"

Note: Peter Ash stars until May 17, which includes Salford and Newcastle Theatre Royal (May 13-17). Ore Oduba takes over the role from May 20, which includes Sheffield Lyceum (June 3-7) and Bradford Alhambra (July 8-12)

More info and ticket links here