The Fast Show cast to reunite for 30th anniversary UK stage tour

Sketch show creators Charlie Higson and Paul Whitehouse will be joined by Simon Day, John Thomson, Arabella Weir and Mark Williams

The cast of The Fast Show are reuniting for a live tour to celebrate the sketch show’s 30th anniversary.

The much-loved and highly-quotable BBC sketch show originally ran between 1994 and 1997.

The series introduced the world to a string of memorable characters, including innuendo-spouting car salesman Swiss Toni, the ruthless Competitive Dad and the unintelligible Rowley Birkin QC.

An Evening With The Fast Show will tour British theatres between February and April 2024, with opening night at London’s Pleasance Theatre on 18 February and the final show at Liverpool’s Philharmonic on 1 April.

The tour will feature original cast members Simon Day, Charlie Higson, John Thomson, Paul Whitehouse, Mark Williams and Arabella Weir.

There will also be a tribute to former co-star Caroline Aherne, responsible for characters including the meteorologist fond of predicting “scorchio!” conditions, who died of cancer in 2016 at the age of 52.

Fast characters: Simon Day, Paul Whitehouse: Caroline Aherne and Charlie Higson in a 1995 publicity shot for ‘The Fast Show’ (Avalon/Getty Images)

The show’s promoters said in a statement: “Fans of the iconic TV programme The Fast Show are in for a real treat as the original cast members – Simon Day, Charlie Higson, John Thomson, Paul Whitehouse, Mark Williams and Arabella Weir – bring their comedic genius to theatres across the country this spring.

“This celebratory live tour will be a huge treat for fans of the multi-award winning quick-fire TV sketch show and provide a real behind-the-scenes insight into some of their favourite characters and catchphrases as they come alive on stage once again.

“The cast will chat together about how it all began, how they made the TV show, and created the characters and the fun they had doing it. This will be interspersed with performances of some of their best-loved sketches monologues and songs, with on-screen inserts and a moment to remember their former collaborator, the late, great Caroline Aherne.

“Fans will be thrilled to see the return of many of their favourite characters, including: Ted & Ralph, Jesse, Swiss Toni, Does My Bum Look Big In This?, Dave Angel, Jazz Club, The Suit You Tailors, Ron Manager, The Mad Painter, Rowley Birkin, Bob Fleming, Competitive Dad, Professor Denzil Dexter, and The Girl Who Boys Can’t Hear.”

In a review of The Fast Show Live at London’s Dominion Theatre in 2007, The Independent’s Julian Hall wrote: “They may not have been as fast out of their blocks as on screen, nor are they the newest kids on the block but The Fast Show team can still teach other pretenders a thing or two.”