A FORMER Blue Peter presenter will head the cast for a national tour of the stage version of the war novel Birdsong.

Peter Duncan, who fronted the long-running BBC children’s show in the 1980s, will play Jack Firebrace in Rachel Wagstaff’s adaptation of the Sebastian Faulks book, which will travel the country’s theatres between February and June.

The show will be at the Gala Theatre, Durham City, from March 10 to 15 and York’s Theatre Royal from March 24 to 29.

George Banks, of The History Boys and Hobson’s Choice, and Carolin Stoltz, of The Cafe and Emmerdale, will play the romantic leads of Stephen Wraysford and Isabelle Azaire.

The tour will support the forces charity Help for Heroes.

For more information, visit birdsongthetour.com