Rock legend Sir Bob Geldof will appear as a special guest in Wilko: Love and Death and Rock ‘n’ Roll when the biographical play opens at London’s Leicester Square Theatre from 3 to 27 July 2025.
Geldof joins a line-up of music icons making guest appearances during the encore of the show, which celebrates the life of Wilko Johnson, co-founder of Dr Feelgood.
The West End run follows acclaimed outings at Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch and Southwark Playhouse. Other musical guests set to join the production across its run include Norman Watt-Roy (Ian Dury and the Blockheads), Steve ‘West’ Weston (Roger Daltrey Band), Dennis Greaves and Mark Feltham (Nine Below Zero), and cult figures like Wreckless Eric, John Otway, and actor-comedian Kevin Eldon. Each night will feature a different guest performer in the show’s encore.
Written by Jonathan Maitland (The Interview, An Audience with Jimmy Savile), the production combines storytelling with live music to trace Johnson’s remarkable life and career – from his role as a trailblazer in the punk movement to his unexpected acting turn in Game of Thrones. Diagnosed with terminal cancer in 2012, Johnson was given a year to live but defied the odds, choosing instead to focus on life, music, and legacy. His story unfolds through a mix of narration, original words from Johnson himself, and a live score performed by the cast.
The 2025 production of Wilko also marks the 50th anniversary of Dr Feelgood’s seminal debut album Down by the Jetty, cited by artists including Paul Weller, the Ramones, and Bob Geldof as a defining influence. “When Sir Bob Geldof said that ‘without Dr. Feelgood, there would be no Boomtown Rats,’ he was talking for a generation of musicians and rockstars,” said Maitland. “We’re thrilled to welcome these legends to the stage each night—our Southwark encore with guests blew the roof off. This will be even bigger.”
Directed by Dugald Bruce Lockhart, the creative team also includes Designer Nicolai Hart-Hansen, Lighting designer James Stokes, and Sound designer Simon Slater. The cast includes Georgina Fairbanks, Georgina Field, Jon House, David John, and Johnson Willis as Wilko Johnson.
Originally developed at Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch, the show is produced by Jetty Productions Ltd in association with Canvey Rock and Cahoots Theatre Company. Proceeds from the run will benefit Teenage Cancer Trust, one of Johnson’s preferred charities.
Geldof’s appearance in Wilko also coincides with the major new West End musical Just For One Day – The Live Aid Musical now playing in the Shaftesbury Theatre. Inspired by the iconic 1985 Live Aid concerts he co-organised with Midge Ure to raise funds for famine relief in Ethiopia. The show, which features music from Queen, U2, Elton John, David Bowie, and many others, revisits the day music changed the world. With more than 70 acts across two continents, Live Aid became a landmark in music and humanitarian history – an achievement that continues to echo on stage four decades later. Geldof is portrayed in the West End show by Craige Els (Doctor Who, Matilda The Musical).
Sir Bob recently revealed plans to create a special super-cut edition of Band Aid’s “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” in celebration of the song’s 40th anniversary.
More about Wilko: Love and Death and Rock ‘n’ Roll tickets Leicester Square Theatre London
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