
Iconic BBC sitcom to return as musical 30 years after it was axed
REUNION Iconic BBC sitcom to return as musical 30 years after it was axed
ICONIC Beeb comedy The High Life will return with a song and a dance - as it's being turned into a musical.
The Scottish sitcom, which starred Alan Cumming and Forbes Masson, is being adapted for the stage 30 years after it was taken off air.
2
The High Life is being turned into a musical.
Credit: PA
2
Siobhan Redmond, Alan Cumming, Forbes Masson, and Patrick Ryecart will all return.
Credit: PA
Cumming, 60, and Masson, 61, played hapless air stewards Sebastian Flight and Steve McCracken in the cult BBC series which only lasted for six episodes.
Siobhan Redmond, 65, who portrayed put-upon cabin crew member Shona Spurtle, and Patrick Ryecart, 72, who earned rave reviews as beleaguered pilot Captain Hilary Duff, will also return for The High Life: The Musical at Dundee Rep in spring 2026.
Cumming, who then appeared in Hollywood movies like X-Men and Eyes Wide Shut, said: 'National Theatre of Scotland has been asking us to do this for years.
"It had been on their slate for ages, but we just never got round to it.
'But we've both turned 60 that's part of the story.
"Some things never change, and our characters Sebastian and Steve don't.
'They still squeeze themselves into those lycra uniforms and I think that's part of the joy of it.'
Masson, who has enjoyed roles in EastEnders and The Crown, added: 'It's fantastic that the show is still remembered so fondly after just one series.
'The series on iPlayer just now, and it still stands up comedically.
'We were ahead of our time.
The Traitors season 3 cast officially selected as host Alan Cumming teases first-look from show's castle set in Scotland
"Our stuff was, and still is, very politically aware with a small 'p'.
'That's what's interesting about exploring the characters now because the world has changed and there are characters in the show who are slightly behind all that.
"It's so exciting to have them return.'
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Daily Record
12 minutes ago
- Daily Record
SíSí Glasgow restaurant offers 'new heights' to the city with stunning rooftop views
The Mexican-American inspired eatery in the Scottish city will open its doors this coming weekend in a much welcomed boost to the hospitality scene. SíSí Rooftop, a new restaurant and bar, has unveiled a first look inside its stunning eighth-floor space ahead of its opening in Glasgow's Merchant City on Friday, August 1. Located atop The Social Hub in Candleriggs Square, the all-day venue will serve Mexican-American inspired dishes, craft cocktails and curated wines, with panoramic views stretching from the city's rooftops to the Cathkin Braes. One of the most distinctive features is a ceiling mural by Glasgow illustrator and tattooist Pelikan Baba. It shows margarita-sipping figures floating across a pale sky, painted in bold colours and loose lines. Eagle-eyed diners will spot nods to the city quietly woven into the scene. DJ booths will set the tone for SíSí's regular programme of events, featuring guest sets, weekend takeovers and artist residencies. The 160-cover venue includes 100 indoor seats and a 60-seat open-air terrace. A feature island bar sits at the centre of the room, with cocktails including a green bloody maria, mezcal paloma and spicy margarita, alongside an extensive wine list and beers on draught. The menu, shaped around locally sourced produce and sustainable suppliers, will feature fresh, vibrant sharing plates. Expect show-stopping signature dishes like hand-dived scallop ceviche verde and steak tartare tostada, alongside indulgent desserts and bar snacks. Interiors take cues from mid-century design, with earth tones, wood and stone flooring, real planting and soft strip lighting. The space includes a mix of booth seating, open tables and low-slung lounge areas, designed to feel relaxed and sociable. Claire Mcilvenny, General Manager at SíSí Rooftop said: 'SíSí was designed to move with the day. We wanted it to feel easy and welcoming in the daytime: the kind of place you can catch up over coffee, but with space to truly come alive at night. We believe it will become one of the places to be in Glasgow. 'It was important for us to collaborate with local artists and Pelikan Baba has done an incredible job with the ceiling mural. It's properly eye-catching, but it's the small Glasgow details that make this so special. There's always something new to spot, and of course, it makes a great photo, too. 'After lots of hard work behind the scenes, we're incredibly excited to finally open our doors in just a few weeks.' SíSí is set to open on Friday 1 August. Follow @ on Instagram or visit their website here to reserve your table, receive updates, see sneak peeks, and opening announcements.

Rhyl Journal
14 minutes ago
- Rhyl Journal
Lewis Capaldi says drummer was in ‘floods of tears' at secret Glastonbury set
The 28-year-old performed a 35-minute surprise performance on the Pyramid stage, having taken a two-year break from performing after his last appearance at the Somerset festival, and revealed he had to leak his own secret set after he was worried people would not turn up. Capaldi said: 'I'm not great at keeping secrets, I wanted it to be a surprise, but we had to start leaking it out a couple of weeks before because it would have been strange to come out to an empty field. 'By that weekend it was the worst-kept secret. It was genuinely the best day of my life, I loved every moment of it. 'Almost immediately, I was overcome with emotion and I started to well up, so I was like, 'get it together', but then I turned around and looked at my drummer, and he was in floods of tears. 'It was weird, I knew it was going to be fine this time around. I had nerves and butterflies, but it wasn't the same as 2023 when I was so stressed and I knew something bad was going to happen. It was spectacular.' Capaldi was speaking as part of the launch of Apple Music's Music That Soothes Me series of curated playlists, with the singer himself putting together a track list including the likes of Fontaines DC, Lana Del Rey and The 1975. The series, which features music intended to help listeners relax and unwind, also features playlists curated by Renee Rapp and Bring Me The Horizon. Speaking about how he relaxes, the Scottish singer said: 'I use music in meditation a lot – ambient music, not what I usually listen to. But when I'm going to bed, I'll listen to a lot of green noise and rain noises, especially when I'm trying to get to sleep, to soothe me. 'Slowing down and being outside helps, I like meditation, and I also go to therapy, which has really helped me with stress. 'I'm not someone who enjoys going for long walks or spending a ton of time outside, but I force myself to do it these days because the effect it has on my mood and my stress levels is just mind-blowing. 'I think for a long time I was either working or going to the pub, and these days I spend a lot more time with friends in a way that isn't just going out. 'Doing wholesome things with friends is always a nice change. Get outside, go to therapy, do some meditation and hang out with people.' The singer says he plays the 'older' work of rapper Eminem and his own demos to relax, joking that the latter 'really knocks me out'. Capaldi recently said he had the 'most incredible, surreal feeling' after his 17-date UK and Ireland comeback tour sold out. During the 2025 Glastonbury show, Capaldi performed his new track Survive, which has since gone to number one on the singles chart, and ended his performance with Someone You Loved, the track that Glastonbury crowds helped him to sing when he struggled with his Tourette symptoms in 2023. Tourette syndrome causes sudden, repetitive sounds or movements and while there is no cure, treatment can help manage the tics, according to the NHS website. Prior to the festival slot, the Glaswegian star performed a number of secret gigs and guest appearances, saying in an interview with therapy charity BetterHelp that he felt a 'rush of adrenaline' before managing to calm himself before his first warm-up gig in Edinburgh. Capaldi has had six UK number one singles, including Before You Go, Pointless and Wish You The Best. He has also seen both of his studio albums reach number one in the UK albums chart.

Rhyl Journal
14 minutes ago
- Rhyl Journal
The 1975's Matty Healy warns of ‘cultural erasure' as he backs small venue event
The Seed Sounds Weekender, which will take place September 26-28, will see more than 2,000 gigs take place in more than 1,000 venues in an attempt to unite small venues. Speaking of the event, Healy told the PA news agency: 'The political neglect behind this crisis, steadily hollowing out arts funding and cultural infrastructure is a class war by omission. 'Councils across England have slashed arts budgets by 20% to 30% over the last decade. Without government-led reforms – like a mandatory stadium-and-arena ticket levy, VAT relief, business rates reform, and real investment in venue survival – this ecosystem collapses. 'The UK music industry delivers £5.2 billion to the economy, supports 228,000 jobs, and exports its soft power globally – but its entire pipeline starts in those 150‑capacity rooms above pubs. 'Lose them, and you aren't just losing venues – you are losing the conditions that made all that possible. That is cultural erasure, and it will not come back. 'And that's precisely why movements like the Seed Sounds Weekender are so important, this festival isn't just a celebration, it's about uniting and sustaining this network, ensuring that art isn't just for the privileged, and that Britain's unique, musical heartbeat keeps beating.' Last year, the Music Venue Trust's annual report warned that, in 2023, 22.4% of venues closed as a result of 'operational issues', while 42.1% of its members reported 'financial issues'. Just last month, Sheffield's well-known Leadmill venue saw its last gig in its current form, after losing a long-running eviction battle with its landlord, the Electric Group, with singer Miles Kane performing on June 27. Tickets for most of the gigs which take place as part of the Seed Sounds Weekender will be free, with events taking place across 20 UK towns and cities including London, Liverpool and Manchester. Healy added: 'Local venues aren't just where bands cut their teeth – they're the foundational infrastructure of our culture. Without them, you don't get The Smiths, Idles, Little Simz, or Wet Leg, you get silence. 'Since 2007, we've lost 38% of UK grassroots music venues – over 1,200 of them – and venue closures continue at a frightening pace. In 2023 alone, 125 venues shut down, and right now two venues are closing every month. 'These rooms barely scrape by, average profit margins are just 0.5% – under £3,000 per year – and nearly 44% operate at a loss. The sector effectively subsidises live music by £162 million annually. 'That means communities across the country: working-class towns; inner cities; regional centres; lose their only accessible creative spaces. 'When that happens, the only art that thrives is the art already bankrolled, safe, sanitised, and profitable. Art becomes a luxury for the privileged.' Organised by live music marketplace GigPig, the event will partner with Uber to give attendees discounted rides to and from gig venues, with tickets available from the Seed Sounds Weekender website. It comes after Healy and his band recently headlined the 2025 edition of Glastonbury Festival, having achieved five UK number one albums and 12 UK hit singles. The 1975 are best known for songs such as Chocolate, The Sound and Love Me.