Brian Conley talks about his Milton Keynes return with MKFM

Friday, 24 July 2026 17:43

Acting ace Brian Conley talked to MKFM's Sammy Jones about his new city return.

This time, the much-loved star of stage and screen will be starring in the 80s sci-fi sensation, Back to the Future.

Brian will be playing Doc Brown when the West End smash comes to Milton Keynes Theatre on its first ever UK tour.

Conley is a firm favourite with new city audiences, having taken the reins for pantomime here several times, and visited in touring shows including Barnum and Hairspray.

He has already taken on the role of the professor to great acclaim in the West End, but told me that he had unfinished business with the show.

“I was in London with it for about three months, and I always wanted to go back and visit it, and when I was in panto in MK at Christmas, I said, ‘I'm thinking of doing it,' and they were going, 'Please do it here,' so it's down to them I'm doing it!”

It’s a treat for audiences too, given that he will only appear here in the new city and in Manchester on the tour.

“It will be the full production and it has to be - as close as it can be to the film because that's what people expect," he promised, "They want to see the car do 88 miles an hour, and all that stuff!"

Brian had been to see the show as a punter, but never expected to be stepping into the role made famous by Christopher Lloyd in the blockbusting film.

“Never,” he agreed, “But when they rang and said we'd love you to come in for a limited period I jumped at the chance.

“It is such an iconic show and it is in my Top 10 as one of the greatest films ever.

“ And I am the only British person that has ever played Doc Brown. It has always been an American.

“It's just phenomenal, and a lot of it the dialogue is scored, so the orchestra is playing and you have got to hit your marks with the dialogue.

“That was something special as well, that I had never seen in a show, they had all this music underneath everything.”

Brian is over the moon to be part of a very elite club of people who have played the role, but he wasn’t handed it on a plate - he had to audition the same as everyone else.

“I auditioned for it three times because it is an American production and they don't know who Brian Conley is. I very rarely swan in, you have to fight for it.

“I am lucky, but t's not the end of the world if I don’t get it - that's how I approach everything.

"If you get it, it's great, if you don't, don't worry about it."

But there was one role that he didn’t win which didn’t go down well at home…

“The only one I didn't get that absolutely devastated my kids was when Shrek came to Drury Lane. I auditioned for the part of Shrek, and it was between me and someone else.

“I remember going home and telling my kids I didn't get the part and they were devastated that dad wasn't going to play Shrek!

"I think that's the only time I've ever been let down.”

Brian is in the upper echelons of our talent pool, and remains as passionate about the theatre as he has ever been - so long as it feels right.

"I'm always up for stuff if it excites me. I'm in a position where I have been offered a few things - I was offered a big musical this year, but it just didn't excite me.

"You need that phone call like I got with Back to the Future, where you just go, 'Oh god, yeah. There's no way I can turn this down - I have to do it.'

“What has been nice is that the American director really wanted to nurture anything that I might want to put in, so I definitely put my own stamp on it.”

Before the DeLorean DMC-12 parks up at Milton Keynes Theatre for a three week treat from February 9-27, 2027, Brian will be back in town as part of the Prat Pack, joining his pals Bradley Walsh, Shane Richie and Joe Pasquale for a right good time.

Brian is very excited to be doing Celebrity Hunted with his daughter which comes out later in the year, too.

> Tickets for Back to the Future go on sale on September 10 at www.atgtickets.com/miltonkeynes

> Please note: Brian will not be performing on February 13 & 14.