THE thrilling work of multi-million selling author Peter James is back in theatres in this early part of the year and will feature the world premiere production of the spine-chilling stage play - The House on Cold Hill.

Adapted from his best-selling 2015 novel and based on the author’s own real-life experience in a haunted house, the play will star BAFTA nominated actor and winner of BBC1’s Strictly Come Dancing 2017, Joe McFadden (The Crow Road, Heartbeat, Holby City) as Ollie Harcourt and joining him, as his wife Caro Harcourt, will be award winning actress Rita Simons, (who played the iconic Roxy Mitchell in Eastenders).

Also in the cast are award winning actors, Charlie Clements (Bradley in EastEnders) and Persephone Swales-Dawson (villainess Nico Blake in Hollyoaks), who will be making her professional stage debut.

In James' ghostly mystery, the Harcourt family - Ollie, Caro and daughter Jade – move into the house of the dreams that has been empty for the last 40 years.

However, their dream home quickly turns into the stuff of nightmares, as they begin to sense that they aren’t the only residents at Cold Hill…

The House on Cold Hill, which comes to Malvern’s Festival Theatre from Monday, February 18 to Saturday, February 23, is a modern-day ghostly thriller that will send shivers down the spine’s of its nightly audiences and make everyone think twice about returning home to a dark, empty house after the show!

Rita Simons is best known for playing Roxy Mitchell in BBC's Eastenders, and is one of Britain’s best loved TV actresses. She won Most Popular Newcomer at the National Television Awards and other awards and nominations which included Best Newcomer at the Digital Spy Soap Awards and Best Onscreen Partnership for her character partnership with Ronnie Mitchell played by Samantha Womack.

She said: “I am really thrilled to be starring in the House on Cold Hill alongside such great actors as Joe, Charlie, Persephone and the rest the cast. I could not put it down when I first read the script – it’s a brilliant and modern day supernatural thriller that had me totally gripped and occasionally jumping out of my seat!

“I can’t wait to see audiences hopefully have the same reaction to it, in theatres around the UK.”

BAFTA nominated actor Joe McFadden is perhaps best known for playing series regular Raf di Lucca in BBC1’s Holby City from 2014–2017, and as PC Joe Mason’ in Heartbeat from 2010-2014.

Other acclaimed TV roles include Sex, Chips and Rock n Roll, The Crow Road (for which he received a BAFTA nomination), Cranford and Take The High Road and he also has extensive theatrical credits.

The House on Cold Hill becomes the fourth play in his box office smash hit and critically acclaimed stage franchise following the huge sell-out success of Not Dead Enough, The Perfect Murder and Dead Simple on stage. Nearly half a million fans have now seen his work on stage in 30 cities across the UK and Ireland, with stars including Claire Goose, Shane Richie, Jessie Wallace, Tina Hobley, Les Dennis, Jamie Lomas, Laura Whitmore, Robert Daws, and Dawn Steele.

The House on Cold Hill will reunite Peter James with two time Olivier-nominated theatre producer Joshua Andrews, the Olivier award winning director Ian Talbot and award-winning writer Shaun McKenna.

Tickets are on sale at the Box Office 01684 892277 and online at malvern-theatres.co.uk.