GET ready to be lost in the thrilling world of one of Steven King's most popular novels.

A brand new stage version of Misery is coming to Preston's Charter Theatre next month -- complete with an all-star cast.

Leslie Grantham, best known as Eastenders' Dirty Den, stars alongside ex-Brookside actress Sandra Maitland.

Grantham plays Paul Sheldon, best-selling novelist of trashy historical romances featuring the heroine Misery Chastain.

Every year he retires to the snow-covered mountains of Colorado to write another book, but this year he crashes in a blizzard and wakes up in the home of obsessed fan Annie Wilkes, played by Sandra Maitland.

A smash hit film when it came out in 1990, Misery stared James Caan, and featured an Oscar-winning performance from Kathy Bates as Annie. The new stage version, written by Simon Moore, promises to be just as good.

Leslie Grantham, fresh from his bad-guy role on Channel 5's Fort Boyard, ditches his normal hard-man persona to play the troubled main character.

And Sandra Maitland's turn as the violent and obsessed Annie Wilkes will bring back memories of her role as Mandy Jordache, killing and burying her husband under the patio in the popular television soap opera. Part mystery and part thriller, Misery also uncovers the pitfalls and dangers of fame.

Unfortunately for Paul Sheldon, Annie soon discovers that his latest novel does not feature her beloved Misery and she forces him to destroy the manuscript and to begin work on a new one immediately.

Tender loving care soon turns to terrorism and a deadly cat and mouse game starts as Paul finds himself forced to write a chapter of a new novel every day -- simply to stay alive.

Misery runs at the Charter Theatre, Preston from Tuesday to Saturday, April 2-6. To book tickets call the box office on 258858.