“I’VE jumped on the Rocky Horror Show train and I’m hanging on for dear life. It’s a wild ride!” laughs the show’s new narrator Maxwell Caulfield.

The celebrated actor, best known for his starring role in the film Grease 2 on the other side of the pond and a recent foray into Emmerdale over here, joined the show just this week – and brings it back to Hampshire on Monday.

“I was aware of it but completely ignorant of the show and I’m ashamed to say I had never seen the movie either right up until last week.

“But I went to Cambridge to see the guys in action, then it was straight into it on Monday which isn’t really my forte. But I’m a huge fan now and find myself hanging out in the wings between entrances. I’m kind of a newbie to musical theatre and also a newbie to this sort of interactive role, as I’m no stand-up comedian, but I’m loving it.

“But I like to challenge and surprise myself. With musical theatre you can just feel people’s spirits being raised and with a show like Rocky it actually sends people into ecstasy. I’ve started wondering why I didn’t do this years ago!”

That’s probably because 20 years ago he was starring as geek turned hunk Michael Carrington in Grease 2 – a kind of musical for the big screen – which something which the 20 something cast of Rocky Horror can’t stop reminding him of.

The 50-year-old British actor, who now lives in California with his actress wife of 30 years Juliet Mills, added: “They can hardly believe it, they’re all Grease 2 devotees and were all indoctrinated on it! I didn’t realise the film had become such a perennial on British TV. They all love having Michael Carrington here, I only wish Michael Carrington still had his thick hair!”

Among Maxwell’s other credits are Miles Colby in The Colbys, Empire Records alongside Renee Zellweger and Liv Tyler and An Inspector Calls on Broadway.

Most recently he was killed off as the dubious character Mark Wylde in Emmerdale.

“I suppose I got my comeuppance as I was with two women – typical man having my cake and eating it! I don’t think they’ve found my body yet, which the Rocky Horror audiences have a lot of fun with.”

Ad-libbing and audience participation is a huge part of Richard O’Brien’s cult classic, which visits Kings Theatre Southsea from Monday to Saturday.

Olivier award-winning actor David Bedella who Maxwell says “seduces men, women and children” remains on the tour as Frank N Furter, some members of the cast, including Ainsley Harriot, have changed since the show visited The Mayflower in January. Tickets: 023 9282 8282.