The Scottish actor, who is best known for his television work, said he was “returning full circle” to the stage, 27 years after he played “spear carrier number two” in a production of the play by William Shakespeare at the Royal Lyceum Theatre.

Mr Heughan, 45, is to make his RSC debut playing the title role in the work known as “the Scottish play”, in a new staging by Daniel Raggett in the Autumn of 2025. He will follow in the footsteps of actors including David Tennant, Sir Ian McKellen, and Ralph Fiennes.

He will star alongside Tony award-nominated actress Lia Williams of The Crown in what has been described as an “intimate and compelling new production”.

Mr Heughan, who was born in Kirkcudbright and moved to Edinburgh with his family at the age of 12 before studying at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in Glasgow, said: “At age 18, standing on the main stage of the Royal Lyceum Edinburgh, playing ‘spear-carrier number two’ (essentially a glorified extra) in a production of Macbeth, I could only dream of one day playing the infamous title character.

“It feels full circle to be returning to the stage, after over a decade working primarily in television and film. Not only is Macbeth my favourite Shakespeare play: intense, immediate and unsettling, it also happens to be famously Scottish.

“The RSC has always been at the pinnacle of my ambition and I feel deeply honoured and thankful to be working alongside some enormously talented and creative people.”

The play will be performed in the RSC’s The Other Place theatre in Stratford Upon Avon.

He added: “The Other Place is the perfect space to create an intense, intimate production and, like Lady M, we will be calling upon the spirits of the RSC’s highly acclaimed past productions for their blessing.”

The production will be the first of Macbeth to premiere in The Other Place since the landmark 1976 performance of the play starring Ian McKellen and Judi Dench, directed by former RSC Artistic Director, Trevor Nunn. It was later broadcast for Thames Television in 1979.

RSC co-artistic directors Tamara Harvey and Daniel Evans announced the staging of Macbeth alongside the company’s new season announcement, which will also include King Lear and productions in which four of Shakespeare’s most famous characters have their stories revisited across two performances.

They said: “Since embarking on this journey together, our guiding principle as co-artistic directors of the RSC has been to seek out bold and exciting works which deepen our understanding of ourselves, each other and the world around us. From illuminating and daring classical productions to inventive and socially resonant new writing, this season is a celebration of globally inspired stories, thrillingly told by the most exciting theatre artists of today.

“We are delighted to welcome so many artists in their RSC debuts this season, including internationally renowned acting talents Adrian Lester, Sam Heughan and Lia Williams.”

Macbeth will be shown at The Other Place theatre from 9 October to 6 December.