A NEW show is teeing off at Salisbury Playhouse starring Benidorm’s Sir Henry.

Love on the Links is based on the golfing stories of PG Wodehouse and heads to the Main House at Salisbury Playhouse next Thursday (May 31).

Michael Fenton Stevens, whose credits also include The Crown, Eastenders and Doctors, plays the Oldest Member.

“It is a lovely, jolly, fun play,” explains Michael.

“The great thing about it is the lessons given by Wodehouse are about relationships and about how people should behave to each other but given through golf, through lessons of how to play golf and how to behave on a golf course so it is not necessary for people to have any knowledge of golf really.

“Although it’s called Love on the Links it is about people and their relationships and how silly people can be.”

The cast got the opportunity to sharpen their golf skills at South Wilts Golf Club. As Michael explains: "I am the only member of the cast who has played golf. On the very first day we all went to the golf course to get an idea of what it’s like

“In the play several of the characters are people who don’t play golf then take it up and become obsessed with it, and that’s one of the problems that is why they are losing their loved ones.

“The lesson The Oldest Member gives them is you should be beware of that sort of situation.

“That is exactly what happened on the first day.”

The stories have been adapted by Jon Glover and Edward Taylor. Glover is known for playing Mr Cholmondley-Warner opposite Harry Enfield in a series of sketches in the 1990s. He has also appeared in BBC Radio 4’s The Archers as Martin Gibson.

As a young actor Michael worked on the radio adaptations of the stories with Hugh Bonneville (Downton Abbey) and Maurice Denham , which were adapted by Taylor. He says he was keen to give the role in the play a go.

Completing the cast is Tim Frances, Jenna Boyd, Tiffany Graves, Adam Jackson-Smith, David Shelley and Rob Witcomb.

Michael will be familiar to some viewers for his role in hit ITV comedy Benidorm.

“It is fantastic. It is a long-running show and it’s been a blessing I have to say,” he says. “They are the most delightful bunch of people.

“It is very good fun.”

During rehearsals in Salisbury Michael was recognised by a member of the public in Sainsburys.

“It is a variable thing because I have had quite a long and varied career really I’ve done all sorts of things. I get recognised for the most strange things. Quite often I get recognised without people knowing who I am that is always a strange one.

Most often it is his appearance in one episode of Only Fools and Horses that seems to have stuck in people’s minds.

He recalls one taxi ride where the driver mistook him for news presenter Jon Snow. Despite Michael’s protestations he was convinced he was the Channel 4 news presenter.

“He wouldn’t have it, he got very angry with me,” says Michael. “He is probably badmouthing Jon Snow all over the place.”

Love on the Links, which is directed by Ryan McBryde (Before the Party, Jack and the Beanstalk) runs until June 23. Tickets 01722 320333 or salisburyplayhouse.com