Venue Cymru have announced that long-serving, favourite funny man John Evans will return to Llandudno for Christmas and make wishes come true in the spectacular family pantomime, Aladdin from Saturday 12 December.

With a comedy career spanning 30 years, John has gained numerous plaudits from his peers, critics and audiences the world over, entertaining thousands of people every years on stage, screen and in pantomime.

Aladdin marks John’s eleventh pantomime on Llandudno’s iconic promenade, as he makes a welcome return to Venue Cymru having spent the last three festive seasons at the Liverpool Empire. This year’s production will be the third time he has helped make Aladdin’s wishes come true and will star as his hapless, hilarious brother, Wishee Washee. His previous Venue Cymru pantomime credits include Peter Pan, Dick Whittington, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Sleeping Beauty, starring alongside the likes of Craig Revel Horwood, Gareth Thomas and Jimmy Osmond.

In constant demand on many major cruise lines including Cunard, Royal Caribbean International, Princess Cruises and P&O Cruises, John has headlined on-board some of the world’s finest ships, and was the first comedian to have performed on all three modern day Cunard Queens.

On land, he has appeared in a wide variety of venues, from appearing in front of 6,000 people at the Liverpool Echo Arena to performing in front of 500 soldiers in a tent in the Belize jungle. His television credits include Granada TV’s Upfront, Stand and Deliver and The Comedians, similarly featuring on the subsequent DVD The Best of the Comedians.

Speaking on his return to Venue Cymru, John Evans said:

I’m really happy to be coming back to Llandudno, my panto home from home. I’m delighted to be celebrating my tenth year at Venue Cymru and to be working with the amazing team in Llandudno once again.

Packed with all of the traditional pantomime ingredients North Wales audiences expect, Aladdin will feature laugh out loud comedy, stunning scenery, beautiful costumes and plenty of boos and hisses. Follow Aladdin, his brother Wishee Washee and his mother Widow Twankey on a spectacular adventure packed full of flying carpets, a wish-granting genie, an evil sorcerer and a lamp-full of laughs. With further casting to be announced and thousands of theatregoers attending pantomime at Venue Cymru every year, audiences should hop aboard their magic carpets and fly to the Box Office now

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Grand Opera House are delighted to announce York legend Berwick Kaler will be bulk-buying Wagon Wheels, dusting off his frocks and making his much-anticipated, triumphant return to pantomime to star in Dick Turpin Rides Again!

The star of pantomime in York for 40 years, Berwick’s critically acclaimed performance as dame has solidified his reputation as a true York institution having delighted generations of festive theatregoers every year, winning rave reviews from critics and audiences taking him to their hearts. Dick Turpin Rides Again marks his first pantomime at the Grand Opera House.

Having made his York pantomime debut as Ugly Sister in Cinderella in 1977, Berwick has performed, written and directed panto in the city ever since, calling out his iconic catchphrase ‘me babbies, me bairns’ and met with adoration from local audiences at every performance. A star of the stage since he left his native Sunderland as a teenager, Berwick has been a mainstay in theatre ever since, appearing in London’s West End and regionally, making television appearances in iconic comedies such as The New Statesman and Auf Wiedersehen, Pet and even featuring in the Hollywood blockbuster A Knight’s Tale. In 2012 he was featured in Michael Grade’s acclaimed documentary A History of the Pantomime Dame, which was aired on BBC Four.

Dick Turpin Rides Again also reunites Berwick with his band of pantomime regulars, including comedy side-kick Martin Barrass, the villainous David Leonard, Yorkshire’s longest-serving Principal Girl Suzy Cooper and favourite funny man AJ Powell. Berwick will also write and direct the production.

The Grand Opera House pantomime will be produced by Scarborough and London based Qdos Entertainment for the very first time, the world’s biggest pantomime producer, and the Olivier Award winning team behind pantomimes across England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, and at the world famous London Palladium each Christmas. Dick Turpin Rides Again will feature Qdos Entertainment’s hallmark of high-quality production values and special effects, whilst staying faithful to Berwick’s renowned approach to the genre and to local York audiences.

Qdos Entertainment Managing Director Michael Harrison said:

I have long admired Berwick’s pantomimes - in fact his own brand of pantomime madness was the inspiration behind the shows I have created at both Newcastle Theatre Royal and The London Palladium. Little did I realise when I was watching Berwick’s shows that one day I’d be able to work with him and his team on a York pantomime. This deal has come together very quickly between Berwick, Martin, David, Suzy, AJ, ourselves and the Grand Opera House because first and foremost we all love pantomime - and what a panto this one is going to be. I couldn’t be happier to be able to announce that Dick Turpin will indeed ride again as will Berwick and his legendary team.

Qdos Entertainment Chairman, Scarborough based Nick Thomas MBE, added:

I am thrilled to welcome Berwick, a true Yorkshire theatre legend, to the Qdos Family. Qdos Entertainment has had a long association with Yorkshire, it is my home county, and with our production and wardrobe teams based in Scarborough and Beverley, forming this new relationship with Berwick and the Grand Opera House is especially exciting.

Speaking on his casting Berwick Kaler said:

Qdos Entertainment have come to the rescue of the most lauded pantomime in the country having found us a new home at the Grand Opera House in our beloved City of York. To make this a success we need you - the most articulate and loyal audience in the entire country. We can go forth with a management that believes we have enhanced the reputation of a local pantomime that has caught the imagination of young and old, from all walks of life.

Grand Opera House York’s Theatre Director, Rachel Crocombe-Lane, adds:

Qdos brings both world-class expertise and also a Yorkshire heart, being based in Scarborough; the perfect combination together with this talented cast. As a venue team, Pantomime is our favourite time of year because of the friendship with the company and also the joy and devotion of our audience. We are proud of these new partnerships, excited for the future of our Pantomime and will be ready altogether to really blow your Christmas socks off!

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Royal & Derngate are delighted to announce that this year’s pantomime will be paved with gold in the classic family production of Dick Whittington, running from Thursday 10 December 2020 to Sunday 3 January 2021.

Audiences will join the handsome hero Dick Whittington as he heads to London to seek fame, fortune and happiness, with this trusty cat Tommy in tow. Guided by the magical Fairy Bow Bells on an adventure that sends him from London town to the High Seas headed for Morocco this year’s action-packed pantomime will be full of laughter, music and dance.

Staged by Qdos Entertainment, the world’s biggest pantomime producer and the team behind Royal & Derngate’s annual festive offering, this year’s production goes on sale to those with priority access (including group bookers and members) from Wednesday 5 February, with general on sale from Wednesday 12 February.

There are concessions, generous discounts for groups and special rates for schools available for selected performances. Tickets prices start from £12*, and with thousands of festive theatregoers attending Royal & Derngate’s pantomime each year, early booking is advised. With a special earlybird offer, customers can get 25% off tickets in the top three price bands on many performances when booking before the end of February.

Speaking on the title announcement, Qdos Entertainment Managing Director Michael Harrison said:

We’re all extremely excited to be staging Dick Whittington in Northampton this year, the first time the title has been performed at the Royal & Derngate in almost twenty years. Our timeless tale will be brought to life with star casting, stunning scenery and special effects and all the magic that Northampton audiences have come to expect from us.

Royal & Derngate Chief Executive Jo Gordon said:

Dick Whittington promises to be great fun for all the family, a real treat for all ages. We pride ourselves on offering a truly family friendly experience at Royal & Derngate, and it’s always a pleasure to see so many young people discovering the joy of theatre for the first time at Christmas.

Can Dick Whittington outwit the evil rodent King Rat, free London from his team of revolting rodents and win the beautiful Alice’s hand in marriage? Audiences should book now to find out in the ultimate magical pantomime adventure!

A mainstay of entertainment for a number of decades, Biggins made his pantomime debut aged just 17 in his home town of Salisbury before forging a highly successful career in show business. Best known for his numerous iconic television appearances, Biggins appeared opposite the late Ronnie Barker in the BBC sitcom Porridge, held roles in Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?, appeared alongside Michael Crawford in Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em and played Nero in the critically acclaimed dramatisation of I, Claudius.

Despite his serious roles, and never one to not entertain, Biggins is also known and well-loved for his hosting credits, including co-hosting Surprise, Surprise, On Safari, appearing on numerous celebrity specials and as King of the Jungle having won ITV’s I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! in 2007. On stage he has starred as The Baker in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, played Herod in Jesus Christ Superstar and the Baron in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang in the West End.

It is pantomime for which Biggins is most-loved, entertaining thousands of festive theatregoers every year since he began his regular panto appearances in the mid-80s. From Glasgow to Plymouth, Biggins has donned a host of outrageous frocks and had audiences in stitches across the UK ever since, starring alongside the likes of David Hasselhoff, Patsy Kensit, Simon Callow, Bonnie Langford, Cannon and Ball and even Basil Brush.

Speaking on the casting, Orchard Theatre Director Lorna Strawson said

The Orchard team are both thrilled and excited that pantomime royalty Christopher Biggins will be joining the cast on our stage. With over 40 years’ experience of playing the dame, he is guaranteed to delight our audience again and again and we cannot wait to welcome him to Dartford!

Jack and the Beanstalk will be a fun-filled Christmas extravaganza telling the fairy tale of a poor local lad who goes on a fantastic adventure up a beanstalk where fortune lies. This production will be the perfect festive panto with a fabulous cast and orchestra, laugh-out-loud comedy, stunning scenery and of course, plenty of audience participation.

Fe-Fi-Fo-Fum, a giant of a Panto this way comes. With tickets on sale now, you’ll want to head towards the Orchard Box Office to snap up the best seats for Dartford’s iconic family pantomime.

To book tickets or for more information visit orchardtheatre.co.uk

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Birmingham Hippodrome have announced that Australian actor, singer and much-loved personality Jason Donovan will make his pantomime debut in this year’s long-awaited pantomime, Goldilocks and the Three Bears alongside previously announced returning favourite Matt Slack.

Jason Donovan said:

I’m absolutely honoured to have been asked to take part in the Hippodrome panto, and to work with Michael Harrison once again is going to be a lot of fun. As one of the biggest and best pantomimes in the country I cannot wait to get started with Matt Slack and the team.

A stalwart of British popular culture for over thirty years, Jason Donovan burst onto British television screens as Scott Robinson on the hugely popular Australian soap Neighbours in 1986, a role which saw him dominate soap land and be involved in some of the most iconic storylines in the show’s history. While still appearing on the show Jason signed a record contract with 80s hit makers Stock Aitken Waterman and raced to the top of the UK charts with his hit singles Nothing Can Divide Us, Too Many Broken Hearts and the duet Especially For You, with his Neighbours co-star Kylie Minogue.

In 1989 Jason released his debut studio album, Ten Good Reasons, which rose to the top of the charts in the UK and his native Australia, leading to extensive world tours and featured vocals on Band Aid II’s Do They Know its Christmas.

Jason made his stage debut in 1991, performing in the lead role of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at the world-famous London Palladium, which led to his third UK number one single, Any Dream Will Do. Since then he has starred in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (again at the London Palladium), held the title role in the UK tour of Stephen Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd, played Tick in Priscilla Queen of the Desert at the Palace Theatre (a role which he also reprised on its first UK tour) and played Captain Von Trapp in The Sound of Music.

On television Jason came third in the sixth series of ITV’s I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!, and the ninth series of BBC1’s Strictly Come Dancing, where he reached the final. In 2012 Jason released the album Sign of Your Love, became a DJ on Heart Radio and Heart 80s and most recently co-produced the current UK tour of Priscilla Queen of the Desert.

In the summer of 2019 Jason returned to the London Palladium in the celebrated revival of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, this time playing the Pharaoh opposite Jac Yarrow and Sheridan Smith. Due to overwhelmingly popular demand, Jason will reprise the role at the London Palladium in Summer 2021 for producer Michael Harrison.

Qdos Entertainment Managing Director Michael Harrison said:

Without doubt Jason is going to be an absolute natural in pantomime thanks to his undeniable showmanship and quick wit. Having worked with him on the recent revival of Joseph I have seen first-hand just what a star he is and I can’t wait for him to experience the magic of a Hippodrome audience.

Fiona Allan, Birmingham Hippodrome Artistic Director and Chief Executive added;

Every year we strive to bring Birmingham audiences a spectacular pantomime featuring some of the biggest and best names in entertainment. Jason Donovan’s pantomime debut is a huge coup for Birmingham and the theatre, we look forward to welcoming audiences this festive season for what is sure to be the greatest show on earth.

Goldilocks and the Three Bears marks Jason’s first ever pantomime role, where he will play the Evil Ringmaster, the rival circus owner who threatens to bring down Dame Betty Barnum’s Big Top and steal the loveable three bears. This year’s production marks the first time the circus-themed pantomime will have been performed at the Hippodrome since 1997, with set, scenery and special effects from Palladium last Christmas’ London Palladium production.

Goldilocks and the Three Bears will be produced once again by Qdos Entertainment, the team behind Birmingham’s annual festive production, in a production packed full of jaw-dropping special effects and circus skills, stunning song and dance and the usual hallmark of Hippodrome hilarity.

With tickets already on sale, and with further casting to be announced, audiences should roll up, roll up to join the circus, and be swept away by the spectacular family pantomime that’s just right at Birmingham Hippodrome!

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Mayflower Theatre are delighted to announce the legendary Richard Cadell & Sooty are joining the cast of this year’s magical pantomime, Cinderella, starring alongside the Strictly fab-u-lous Craig Revel Horwood and the lovely Debbie McGee.

The television, stage, comic book, animation and film star Sooty made his screen debut over 68 years ago and in that time has delighted audiences of millions worldwide with his cheeky sense of humour, jaw-dropping magic tricks and hilarious mishaps, despite not ageing whatsoever. The Sooty Show is now acknowledged by the Guinness book of records as the longest running children’s television show in the world.

First seen on screen in 1948 supported by his original owner and friend Harry Corbett (and later his son Matthew) Sooty became a regular on the BBC’s Saturday Special, and fronted his own programmes The Sooty Show and Sooty & Co. Matthew Corbett retired in 1998 and handpicked Richard Cadell to replace him. Richard has presented Sooty on stage and television for over 20 years. The current series can be seen every morning on ITVbe and it remains ITVs most popular children’s show.

Sooty got into all sorts of trouble when his original owner Harry Corbett received the OBE, whereupon he squirted His Royal Highness Prince Philip with water but received his own miniature version of the accolade nonetheless. On stage, Sooty and his friends regularly appear in theatres across the nation in an array of different productions and pantomimes, performing eye-popping magic tricks and causing all sorts of mischief as only they can

In Cinderella, Sooty will play himself with Richard Cadell as his best friend Buttons. They will join the previously announced stars Craig Revel Horwood as the Wicked Stepmother and Debbie McGee as the Fairy Godmother in yet another magical pantomime, brought to Mayflower Theatre by producers Qdos Entertainment.

Sooty was unavailable for comment but speaking about their casting Richard Cadell said:

Sooty is beside himself at the prospect of starring in Cinderella in Southampton, and I’m really excited too. Debbie and I have worked together before and became great friends and we’re looking forward to working with Craig Revel Horwood again. Last year we appeared together on Strictly as guests but Sooty didn’t dance - he hasn’t really got the legs for it.

As well as providing lots of laughs with Sooty, Richard will also be featuring some large-scale magical illusions direct from Las Vegas.

With thousands of theatregoers attending pantomime at Mayflower Theatre every year, and with tickets already selling fast, audiences shouldn’t leave it any longer to secure their seats for the south coast’s biggest pantomime.

Following the record-breaking successes of the last four pantomime seasons, Crewe Lyceum have announced that hilarious comedy double act Cannon & Ball will be back in town to star as the Court Jesters in this unmissable family pantomime, Sleeping Beauty.

Highly regarded for the pair’s long-running ITV television series The Cannon & Ball Show, Tommy and Bobby are world-renowned for their classic comedy routines and trademark catchphrases such as ‘Rock on Tommy!’. One of the nation’s best-loved double acts, the pair have gone on to success in sitcom, gameshows, comedy shows, summer seasons, plays and pantomimes, and have excelled in every aspect of entertainment with their hilarious comedy routines, sketches and songs.

Staged once again by producers Qdos Entertainment, the team behind the Lyceum pantomime since 2013, this production promises all the laughter, magic and seasonal entertainment that Cheshire audiences have come to expect from Tommy, Bobby and the team.

Following their roles in previous pantomimes of Aladdin, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Jack and the Beanstalk, and last year’s popular production of Peter Pan, this production makes Crewe Lyceum history, with Tommy and Bobby becoming the longest-serving, consecutive pantomime stars in the venue’s illustrious history.

Crewe Lyceum Theatre Director Adam Knight said:

It is an absolute joy to welcome Cannon & Ball back to the Lyceum for another record-breaking season. Year on year, attendances are growing for Cheshire’s favourite family pantomime proving that true star quality that these legends of the entertainment world bring to our stage is unbeatable in its appeal to the young and the young at heart.

When a beautiful Princess pricks her finger on an enchanted spinning wheel her evil godmother, Carabosse, places her under a curse. Forced to sleep for 100 years, can true love survive and the handsome Prince break the spell? Who will outwit the evil Carabosse and foil her wicked plans? And what hilarious mishaps will Tommy and Bobby come up with this time?

With magic, music, comedy and special effects, audiences shouldn’t snooze any longer, and book their tickets now.

The star of three series of the self-titled Gary: Tank Commander for BBC Scotland, Gary has gone on to become one of the nation’s most iconic figures, even branching out to interview some of Scotland’s highest-profile politicians, and most recently travelling to America in his own BBC special Gary Goes to Hollywood. Gary made his SEC pantomime debut in 2017 in Jack and the Beanstalk, and starred in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at the Armadillo. Taking a festive break from the 104th Royal Tank Regiment of the British Army, Scotland’s best-loved Corporal will star as Gary Twankey, Aladdin’s brother.

Packed with all of the traditional pantomime ingredients SEC audiences have come to expect, Aladdin will feature laugh out loud comedy, eye-popping 3D, stunning scenery, beautiful costumes and plenty of boos and hisses in a production packed full of flying carpets, a wish-granting genie, an evil sorcerer and a plate or two of Gary’s much-loved cheesy pasta.

Speaking on his casting Gary said:

Guess wit, am so excited tae be back at the SEC in Aladdin. Honestleh, it’s gonnae be brilliant and I cannae wait to get travellin to auld Peking. There’s gonnae be a lamp, and a carpet, and a genie, and me, obviously, and that’s all yas need right, so I’ll see yees later!

James Graham Head of Live Entertainment Programming at the Scottish Event Campus said:

We are delighted that Gary is returning to the Scottish Event Campus to lead the cast in Scotland’s biggest pantomime. His hilarious comedy is always a winner with audiences and combined with exciting 3D effects, this show is bound to have everyone laughing in the aisles.

The creator behind Gary, Scottish-born Greg McHugh, trained at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. Alongside writing and starring as Gary: Tank Commander, for which he was nominated for a Scottish BAFTA, he also reprised the role live on stage at the Hydro for three sold-out nights. Greg is also well-known for playing Howard in Fresh Meat, Eddie Scott in The A Word and David in Traitors for Channel 4.

Staged by Qdos Entertainment, the world’s biggest pantomime producer and the team behind every Armadillo pantomime to date, Aladdin will play for a strictly limited three-week run. Audiences should point their magic carpets towards the side of the Clyde and disembark for a high-flying family pantomime that will make everyone’s wishes come true.

Book now to secure the best seats, or you’ll miss out on all the hilarity, music and special effects!

New Theatre have announced four stars who will be hopping on a magical carpet and flying to Cardiff this festive season to headline in this year’s unmissable family pantomime, Aladdin.

Paul Chuckle will star as the hapless and hilarious brother to Aladdin. Best known as one half of the legendary Chuckle Brothers, the much-loved duo were known to generations of children for their popular prime-time children’s television show Chucklevision, of which more than 290 episodes were made. The series proved to be so successful that in 2008 BAFTA presented Paul and Barry with an award for ‘services to British children’s television’. During the mid-nineties Paul and Barry also recorded three series of their own TV game show and toured the UK extensively, even releasing a charity single with Tinchy Stryder and performed in over 50 pantomimes at major venues across the UK every Christmas. Paul has since starred in pantomime in Woking and Bradford and remains a popular fixture as a compere, DJ and entertainer.

Starring in the title role of Aladdin will be pop and musical theatre star Gareth Gates. Gareth rose to stardom in 2002 as runner-up in the UK’s first Pop Idol. In a phenomenal career that followed, he has sold more than 3.5 million records in the UK, released three albums and had four UK number one singles. Alongside his pop career, Gareth has been seen on ITV1’s Dancing on Ice and The Big Reunion 2014. Gareth’s theatre career has seen him play the role of Marius in the 25th anniversary tour of Les Misérables for Sir Cameron Mackintosh, Loserville at West Yorkshire Playhouse and the UK tours of Legally Blonde and Boogie Nights. He has regularly toured in the concert Mad About the Musicals and starred in the UK tour of Footloose.

Local hero and rugby legend Gareth ‘Alfie’ Thomas returns to the New Theatre pantomime for a fifth season and will play Genie of the Lamp. The Bridgend-born rugby player is one of the most iconic and respected figures in the sporting world, having played professional rugby for Wales and is one of the most capped Welsh rugby union players in history. Since retiring he has gone on to forge a career in commentating for Sky Sports, has appeared on reality shows including Celebrity Big Brother and Dancing on Ice and fronted documentaries for the BBC.

Back for his eighth consecutive pantomime appearance at the New Theatre, the city’s much-loved Dame Mike Doyle will star as the iconic Widow Twankey. Having appeared alongside the likes of Julian Clary, Lee Mead, Ian H Watkins, David Hasselhoff, Samantha Womack, Lisa Riley and Gok Wan in panto, Mike wows audiences every festive season, with his inimitable quick wit, outrageous costumes and audience interaction.

Staged once again by producers Qdos Entertainment, the team behind the New Theatre pantomime since 2001, this year’s production promises all the laughter, magic and seasonal entertainment that the city’s audiences have come to expect. Aladdin will be packed with a lamp-full of laughter, eye-popping special effects and plenty of boos and hisses the whole family will love.

With further casting to be announced, and with tickets selling fast audiences should point their magic carpets towards the theatre box office and disembark for a high-flying family pantomime that will make everyone’s wishes come true.

The Bristol Hippodrome has announced that the much-loved actor, singer, presenter, author, judge and all-round showman John Barrowman will headline this year’s spectacular family pantomime as the Wicked Queen in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

On television, John has presented and appeared on numerous programmes and was most recently a popular contestant on the 18th series of I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! Having also appeared in the first ever series of ITV’s Dancing on Ice, John most recently returned to the rink as a judge alongside Jayne Torvill, Christopher Dean and Ashley Banjo, a role he will reprise when the hit show returns for its 13th series in January 2021.

The star of numerous musicals, both in the West End and on Broadway, John has appeared in legendary productions including Anything Goes opposite Elaine Paige, Sunset Boulevard with Betty Buckley, The Phantom of the Opera, Miss Saigon, Beauty and the Beast, Chicago and The Fix, for which he was nominated for a Lawrence Olivier Award for his performance. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs will also see John return to wearing heels having also starred in the revival of La Cage aux Folles in London where he played the dual role of Albin and Zaza to great critical acclaim.

As an actor John is best-known for his iconic role as Captain Jack Harkness in Doctor Who for the BBC, a role that proved so popular he became the leading role in its spin-off series, Torchwood, which made John a household name. He has also starred in Desperate Housewives and as Malcolm Merlyn in the acclaimed US television shows Arrow, Flash and Legends of Tomorrow, based on the DC Comic. He also appears in the feature films De-Lovely, The Producers and Zero Dark Thirty.

As a recording artist, John released numerous hit albums, including the hugely popular ‘Another Side’ and ‘Music, Music, Music’, and his most recent festive recording ‘A Fabulous Christmas’. He has also toured his albums extensively across the UK and features on several original cast recordings. John also released two autobiographies, Anything Goes and I Am What I Am, and released hugely popular works of fiction including Captain Jack and the Selkie, based on his popular Torchwood character, The Dark Archer for DC comics and the fantasy novels Hollow Earth, The Bone Quill, The Book of Beasts and Conjuror, a young adult series he writes with his sister Carole Barrowman.

This show marks John’s triumphant return to panto-land, having starred in numerous festive productions for producers Qdos Entertainment, including a record-breaking five years at Glasgow’s SEC and, more recently, playing the title role in Dick Whittington at Birmingham Hippodrome and Manchester Opera House.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs will see John strut his stilettos as panto-land’s ultimate villain, the Wicked Queen, who will dazzle in an array of stunning costumes and show Bristol his real mettle as he tries to outwit the fair Snow White and prove to the world that he is the fairest of them all.

Qdos Entertainment Managing Director Michael Harrison said:

Without any doubt, John is one of the UK’s most talented and best-loved showmen. Not only can he sing, dance and act, he’s wonderful in pantomime, and we can’t wait to work with him once again.

John Barrowman said:

I am thrilled to be starring in Snow White this Christmas, and especially delighted and pleased to be able to perform in Bristol at the Hippodrome. I have family in Bristol and it will feel just like home. I can’t wait to dig out the heels and be a Fabulous Wicked Queen.

Tickets for Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs are selling fast, so audiences shouldn’t leave it any longer to secure their seats for this unmissable Hippodrome panto, or they won’t be able to look themselves in the mirror!

Qdos Entertainment and LW Theatres have today (9 October 2020) announced that this Christmas Julian Clary will take us on a magical trip to Pantoland at The Palladium. Performances will begin at the world-famous theatre on 12 December 2020 running until 3 January 2021, with tickets on sale from 10am today.

The London Palladium, the home of pantomime, will welcome back panto favourites Paul Zerdin, Nigel Havers and Gary Wilmot, as well as past stars Ashley Banjo & Diversity and Charlie Stemp. Making their debut will be West End sensations Beverley Knight and Jac Yarrow.

Returning for a fifth consecutive year, The London Palladium pantomime has become an essential part of Christmas in the West End, with record-breaking box office success year-after-year. Pantoland at The Palladium, devised by Michael Harrison, will be a treasure-trove of The London Palladium panto past and exciting new surprises written especially for the show, guaranteeing an unmissable treat for panto and musical theatre fans alike.

Celebrating the very best of pantomime, with comedy in abundance, this star-filled extravaganza will play to a socially-distanced audience. The show will feature the work of Olivier Award-Winning Team director Michael Harrison, choreographer Karen Bruce, set designer Ian Westbrook, costume designer Hugh Durrant, lighting designer Ben Cracknell, sound designer Gareth Owen and composer and orchestrator Gary Hind.

The production at The Palladium has been made possible as a result of a creative initiative announced by The National Lottery today which it hopes will enable hundreds of thousands of theatregoers to enjoy socially distanced pantomime this Christmas in theatres across the nation. The initiative will see The National Lottery buy seats that need to remain empty to enable social-distancing, complying with relevant government and public health guidance. By making it viable for theatres to open their doors to the general public, up to 250,000 tickets are expected to be available, with more than 20,000 free tickets available for National Lottery players and the rest to go on sale. This will generate vital income for theatres and help restore jobs – while providing much-needed cheer for panto lovers at Christmas.

Pantoland at The Palladium is the first of a number of productions at theatres across the country to be announced, with further venues to be confirmed in the coming weeks.

Director and Producer Michael Harrison said:

Pantoland at The Palladium promises to be a spectacular and exciting celebration of this wonderful art form that has been so devastated and decimated by COVID-19.

There is no doubt producing a show of this size and scale is a risk - but it is a risk we have to take. This is not a long term fix, nor a solution to the tragic situation our industry is in, it simply provides a sticking plaster on a very big theatrical wound as we hopefully prepare for full openings in 2021.

As well as bringing our wonderful audiences back, we want to play our part in the rehabilitation of London’s vibrant West End. The production is made possible by the sheer goodwill, determination and courage of so many people - thanks to them over 200 people will now have jobs over Christmas.

Chairman of Qdos Entertainment, Nick Thomas added:

I’m delighted that Qdos Entertainment is able to return to The London Palladium this Christmas. Having produced more than 750 pantomimes across the UK over the past 37 years, it would have been unthinkable for us to have a Christmas without the magic of panto. Thanks to our partnership with The London Palladium we are able to give tens of thousands of theatregoers the opportunity to enjoy some very much needed theatrical magic with their families this Christmas.

Andrew Lloyd Webber said:

Christmas 2020 needs a Pantomime, and this one at The London Palladium has never meant so much to our industry and our audiences. LW Theatres operates as a not-for-profit and we are delighted that The National Lottery’s support will enable Qdos Entertainment and Producer/Director Michael Harrison to stage this socially distanced production at The London Palladium, alongside many others across the nation.

Opening Pantoland at The Palladium will provide crucial support to struggling restaurants, hotels and other hospitality businesses across the West End, leading to thousands of vital jobs on stage, off stage and backstage.

Since theatres were closed in March, we have spent considerable time, effort and money, making The London Palladium Covid-secure. Using all our knowledge and experiences from around the world, we ran a pilot at The London Palladium for Public Health England and the government to demonstrate that theatres can be a safe environment for our audiences.

By next Spring, our major productions across London’s beloved West End must - and will - be back. I sincerely hope that this pantomime brings a moment of much-needed festive cheer as we continue to fight for the revival of our wonderful and vital theatre industry.

Chief Executive of LW Theatres, Rebecca Kane Burton said:

After months of uncertainty, it is nothing short of a miracle that we shall, after all, be staging a panto at The London Palladium. We have worked tirelessly since our first pilot event in July to demonstrate that we can operate The London Palladium safely.

We have all the measures in place to ensure people feel safe, confident and, most importantly, excited to be back with us. Since our first shows in September, we have been blown away by the responses of our audiences. I can’t wait to see the panto lovers back with us for the joyful tradition of pantomime at The London Palladium.

The London Palladium is an official government pilot venue, working to demonstrate that theatres can open and operate fully within the current coronavirus and social distancing guidance. Performances of Pantoland at The Palladium will run in accordance with a wide suite of health and safety measures (including reconfiguration of seating across the venue and the mandatory wearing of face coverings) that keep audiences, staff and crews safe.

Pantoland at The Palladium is produced by Michael Harrison and Nick Thomas for Qdos Entertainment. As the world’s biggest pantomime producer, over the past 38 years Qdos Entertainment has established itself as one of the largest entertainment companies in Europe. Over the past three decades the pantomime giant has staged 754 pantomimes.

Paige, returning to The London Palladium having played Queen Rat in Dick Whittington in 2017, joins the previously announced panto favourites Julian Clary, Paul Zerdin, Nigel Havers and Gary Wilmot, past stars Ashley Banjo & Diversity and Charlie Stemp and Palladium panto newcomers West End stars Beverley Knight and Jac Yarrow.

Multiple award-winning actor, recording artist, producer and broadcaster Elaine Paige will play Queen Rat. She has previously starred in more West End and Broadway musicals than anyone else of her generation - Hair, Jesus Christ Superstar, Grease, Billy, Evita, Cats, Chess, Anything Goes, Piaf, Sunset Boulevard, The King & I, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, The Drowsy Chaperone and Follies. In addition, she was part of the Sir Peter Hall Company for The Misanthrope and Where There’s A Will. Her BBC Radio 2 programme, Elaine Paige on Sunday, is broadcast weekly to over 2.5 million listeners and is now in its sixteenth year. As a recording artist, she has released 22 solo albums as well as featuring on multiple cast albums. She can currently be seen on BBC1 in Life. Paige was made an OBE in 1995.

Elaine Paige said:

“I absolutely loved playing the evil Queen Rat in Dick Whittington a couple of years ago and can’t wait to be back on The London Palladium’s stage again this year, alongside
Julian and the wonderful panto gang. Bringing theatre back to the West End is vital for our industry, which has been largely closed since March. I’m thrilled to play a part in helping theatre take its first steps towards full reopening in 2021. It’s time to escape the challenges around us all and give everyone a well-needed laugh!”

This production at The London Palladium has been made possible as a result of a creative initiative announced by The National Lottery last week which it hopes will enable hundreds of thousands of theatregoers to enjoy socially distanced pantomime this Christmas in theatres across the nation. The initiative will see The National Lottery buy seats that need to remain empty to enable social-distancing, complying with relevant government and public health guidance. By making it viable for theatres to open their doors to the general public, up to 250,000 tickets are expected to be available, with more than 20,000 free tickets available for National Lottery players and the rest to go on sale. This will generate vital income for theatres and help restore jobs
– while providing much-needed cheer for panto lovers at Christmas.

Pantoland at The Palladium is the first of a number of productions at theatres across the country to be announced, with further venues to be confirmed in the coming weeks.

The London Palladium pantomime has become an essential part of Christmas in London, with record-breaking box office success year-after-year. Pantoland at The Palladium, devised by Michael Harrison, will be a treasure-trove of The London Palladium panto past and exciting new surprises written especially for the show, guaranteeing an unmissable treat for panto and musical theatre fans alike.

The show will feature the work of Olivier Award-Winning Team director Michael Harrison, choreographer Karen Bruce, set designer Ian Westbrook, costume designer Hugh Durrant, lighting designer Ben Cracknell, sound designer Gareth Owen and composer and orchestrator Gary Hind.

Celebrating the very best of pantomime, with comedy in abundance, this star-filled extravaganza will play to a socially-distanced audience. Operating in line with the Government’s current guidance around the reopening of theatres, performances of Pantoland at The Palladium will run with a wide suite of health and safety measures (including reconfiguration of seating across the venue and the mandatory wearing of face coverings) that keep audiences, staff and crews safe. Since July, The London Palladium has been designated an official Government pilot venue to support the safe and full reopening of theatres across the country.

Pantoland at The Palladium is produced by Michael Harrison and Nick Thomas for Qdos Entertainment. As the world’s biggest pantomime producer, over the past 38 years Qdos Entertainment has established itself as one of the largest entertainment companies in Europe. Over the past three decades the pantomime giant has staged 754 pantomimes.

The production is able to go ahead thanks to the support of The National Lottery, which will give thousands of theatregoers, in Southampton and across the country, the chance to enjoy socially distanced pantomime this Christmas. The show is being staged as a result of an initiative between The National Lottery and Qdos Entertainment which is providing financial support for theatres to stage socially distanced, live pantomimes this festive season. This will make it viable for venues, including Mayflower Theatre, to open their doors to the general public, generating vital income for the theatre and helping to restore jobs while providing much-needed cheer for pantomime lovers.

Comedian and actor Joe Pasquale will lead the cast in the role of Princess Beauty’s best friend, Muddles. Well-known and best-loved for being one of the hardest-working and top-selling live comedians in British comedy today, Joe has been delighting audiences for more than 20 years with his live stand-up tours and infectious sense of fun. Joe has toured in several major theatrical productions including Mel Brooks’ The Producers, starred in the West End production of Spamalot, been crowned King of the Jungle in ITV’s I’m A Celebrity… appeared on five Royal Variety Performances and toured the UK in a live stage incarnation of the classic sitcom Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em in the iconic role of Frank Spencer.

Birds of a Feather legend Lesley Joseph joins him as the evil Carabosse. Lesley’s extensive career has seen her appear on stage in dramas, musicals and reviews in the West End and across the UK and on every major television channel and on film working with major directors including Franco Zeffirelli. Most recently Lesley starred as Miss Hannigan in Annie, Mrs Meers in Thoroughly Modern Millie as well as appearing in Home directed by Peter Hall. In 2018 she starred in the musical adaptation of Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein in London’s West End starring as Frau Blücher, a role for which she was nominated for the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Musical. No stranger to pantomime, Lesley stars in Qdos Entertainment Productions to audience and critical acclaim every festive season.

Joining Joe and Lesley as Queen Passionella will be legendary cabaret and female impersonator Ceri Dupree. Ceri has delighted audiences worldwide for almost 30 years with his unique vocal, comic and costuming talents, which have seen him perform in musical theatre, pantomime, summer season, television and cabaret in the UK and across the world. In 2015 he played Widow Twankey opposite Joe Pasquale in Mayflower Theatre’s critically-acclaimed pantomime, Aladdin.

Starring as The Enchantress is leading lady Sarah Earnshaw. Sarah made her West End debut in the multi-award winning musical Wicked in the lead role of Glinda, followed by the role as the Lady of the Lake in Monty Python’s Spamalot at the Playhouse Theatre. She starred alongside Marti Pellow in the UK tour of Jekyll & Hyde, and alongside Tommy Steele in Scrooge at the London Palladium. Most recently she appeared in Nativity! on its UK tour and London residency and toured as Betty Spencer opposite Joe Pasquale in his smash hit production of much-loved sitcom Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em.

They will be joined by local actress Georgia Carr as Sleeping Beauty. Georgia began her performing career as part of Mayflower Theatre’s Summer Youth Projects, and appeared in leading roles including Nancy in Oliver!. Since recently completing her training at the London College of Music, she went on to perform the role of Katherine Howard in SIX.

Michael Ockwell, Mayflower Theatre Chief Executive said, “I am delighted that during these challenging times, we are able to bring much needed uplifting entertainment to Southampton with Sleeping Beauty. Thanks to our producers, Qdos Entertainment and The National Lottery, our audiences will be able to enjoy a safe socially distanced pantomime for the whole family this year. Audiences can look forward to something very special for the festive season. Christmas is ON in Southampton! “

This year’s production, created especially for Mayflower Theatre in this unprecedented year, will be a riotously funny, one-act celebration of pantomime, packed full of comedy and laughter and allow audience members the opportunity to come safely together and enjoy the magic of the much-loved and unique art form this festive season.

The previously advertised production of Cinderella will be staged in 2021 and existing bookers have already been contacted with details of their new tickets.

Tickets for Sleeping Beauty are available from mayflower.org.uk or 02380 711811.

The support of The National Lottery will ensure that socially distanced panto can take place this year at the Mayflower theatre, and other theatres across the UK. Up to 20,000 free tickets to pantomimes across the country, including in Southampton, will be made available to National Lottery players to thank them for making it possible for this Christmas tradition to go ahead. National Lottery players raise on average £30M each week for Good Causes. This year has seen up to £600M in National Lottery funding being used by charities and organisations affected by the impact of the coronavirus outbreak across the arts, community and charity, heritage, education, environment and sport sectors.

Newcastle Theatre Royal and pantomime producers Qdos Entertainment have announced that a socially-distanced pantomime will be staged at the venue, with an all-new production of Robin Hood, thanks to support from The National Lottery. Starring masters of mayhem Danny Adams and Clive Webb, alongside the Grande Dame of Grey Street Chris Hayward, they will be joined by X Factor and local lad Joe McElderry, illusionist Phil Hitchcock, hilarious gymnasts The Acromaniacs, Pop Idol star Zoe Birkett and Mick Potts. Robin Hood will play from Saturday 19 December, 2020 for a strictly limited 3 week run.

The production is able to go ahead thanks to the support of The National Lottery, which will give thousands of theatregoers, in Newcastle and across the country, the chance to enjoy socially distanced pantomime this Christmas. The show is being staged as a result of an initiative between The National Lottery and Qdos Entertainment which is providing financial support for theatres to stage socially distanced, live pantomimes this festive season. This will make it viable for venues, including Newcastle Theatre Royal, to open their doors to the general public, generating vital income for the theatre while providing much-needed cheer for pantomime lovers.

Robin Hood marks Danny Adams and Clive Webb’s 16^th consecutive Theatre Royal pantomime alongside the Grande Dame of Grey Street Chris Hayward, who also celebrates his 14^th panto season in Newcastle. Last year saw Danny, and his brother Mick, star in the first two series of Danny & Mick on CBBC, which saw them nominated for Best New Sitcom from the British Comedy Guide. Danny will play Robin Hood, with Clive as Friar Tuck and Chris as Rita.

Joe McElderry, who stars as The Spirit of Sherwood, became a household name after winning the sixth series of ITV’s The X Factor in 2009. His first single, ‘The Climb’ reached number one in the UK singles chart. Joe was also a contestant on ITV’s Pop Star to Opera Star and Channel 4’s The Jump and regularly tours the UK. Joe has since played leading roles in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, The Who’s Tommy and toured the UK throughout 2019 in the new musical Club Tropicana. Robin Hood marks Joe’s seventh pantomime for Qdos Entertainment.

They will be joined by renowned illusionist Phil Hitchcock, who starred in last year’s London Palladium pantomime, Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Completing the line-up will be comedy gymnast troupe The Acromaniacs, musical theatre leading lady and Pop Idol star Zoe Birkett, who is renowned
for her incredible vocal talent and leading roles in The Bodyguard and Priscilla Queen of the Desert, with Danny & Mick star, the side-splittingly silent funny man, Mick Potts. Robin Hood will also feature Theatre Royal panto regulars Steve Arnott, Wayne Smith and Laura Evans making up an on stage company of 18 performers and musicians

This year’s production, created especially for Newcastle Theatre Royal in this unprecedented year, will be a riotously funny, one-act celebration of pantomime, packed full of comedy and laughter and allow audience members the opportunity to come safely together and enjoy the magic of the much-loved and unique art form this festive season.

Producer and Director of Robin Hood, Michael Harrison said: ‘A year without panto at the Theatre Royal was unthinkable, and although it will be different in many ways, not least because we will be running for just three weeks, playing to a reduced capacity of under 500 seats per performance to ensure audience safety and creating a production that is 75 minutes straight through with no interval which also means our actors and crew are safe, it will still feature the usual madness and mayhem audiences love. We all hope 2020 has been a “one off” and this panto will also be a “one off”, a collectors item for panto fans. I have just finished the script and worked through the scenery and music plans and I’m as excited for Robin Hood as I have been for any panto in the past 16 years - perhaps even more so.’

Newcastle Theatre Royal Chief Executive, Philip Bernays said: ‘Christmas just wouldn’t be the same without a Theatre Royal panto – it is such an important part of the festivities for thousands of people every year that I am both relieved and delighted that we can bring you another sensational show. My thanks to the team, who I know will pull out all the stops, and to the National Lottery for their support. It’s my favourite show of the year and I can’t wait!’

This new production will be packed full of comedy routines, audience-safe participation and all the unmissable magic that Newcastle Theatre Royal audiences have come to expect from their annual festive pantomime. The previously advertised production of Humpty Dumpty will be staged in 2021 and existing bookers have already been contacted with details of their new tickets.

Robin Hood is being staged as a result of an initiative between The National Lottery and Qdos Entertainment which is providing financial support for theatres to stage socially distanced live pantomimes across the country this Christmas. By buying the seats which have to remain empty to enable social distancing The National Lottery is making social distance pantomimes possible. Up to 20,000 free tickets to pantomimes across the country, including in Newcastle, will be made available to National Lottery players to thank them for making it possible for this Christmas tradition to go ahead. National Lottery players raise on average £30M each week for Good Causes. This year has seen up to £600M in National Lottery funding being used by charities and organisations affected by the impact of the coronavirus outbreak across the arts, community and charity, heritage, education, environment and sport sectors.

Starring Salford-born funny man Jason Manford as Muddles, with comic legend Billy Pearce as King Billy, musical theatre leading lady Jodie Prenger as The Enchantress and Eric Potts as The Queen, Sleeping Beauty will play from Saturday 12 December for a strictly limited 3 week run.

The production is able to go ahead thanks to the support of The National Lottery, which will give thousands of theatregoers, in Manchester and across the country, the chance to enjoy socially distanced pantomime this Christmas. The show is being staged as a result of an initiative between The National Lottery and Qdos Entertainment which is providing financial support for theatres to stage socially distanced, live pantomimes this festive season. This will make it viable for venues, including the Opera House, to open their doors to the general public, generating vital income for the theatre and helping to restore jobs while providing much-needed cheer for pantomime lovers.

Jason Manford has solidified his reputation as one of the nation’s best-loved comedians having enjoyed success on stage, on screen and on tour for almost two decades. Earning multiple awards from an early age for his comedy, including a nomination for the hotly contested Perrier Award at the Edinburgh Fringe, Jason soon became a staple of UK television, hosting numerous Comedy Galas for Channel 4, his own ITV variety show Comedy Rocks and numerous episodes of Live at the Apollo for the BBC.

As an actor, Jason has appeared on stage in the musicals Sweeney Todd and Curtains in London’s West End, toured the UK in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and in Mel Brooks’ The Producers, and released his own album of show tunes, A Different Stage. Most recently he starred in Derren Litten’s BBC comedy Scarborough, and came a close second on ITV’s musical contest, The Masked Singer. Sleeping Beauty marks Jason’s first foray into the world of pantomime.

Speaking on his casting, Jason Manford said:

“To play Panto in Manchester this year of all years feels like a very special job indeed. To help cheer up the families and children of my own city, after what has been one of the hardest years many of us will have ever faced, is an honour and a privilege. I take my own family to see a Panto every year and it’s a wonderful introduction to the theatre for the children and a fabulous Christmas tradition for all. I’m so excited to be following in the footsteps of some of my comedy heroes, as well as leading a company of talented cast, crew, and the wonderful, hard working front-of-house staff at the Manchester Opera House.

Many of us will not have been in a theatre since March, so the anticipation of sharing this hilarious show with you this Christmas is thrilling. I am so chuffed to have been asked by the Panto specialists, Qdos Entertainment, to help support Manchester theatres this festive season and all the while having a blooming good laugh with you and your family.”

Jason will be joined by comic legend, Billy Pearce, as King Billy. A mainstay of variety entertainment since the 1980s, Billy came to national prominence when he appeared on New Faces, which led to numerous high-profile stage and screen appearances, including 5 Children’s Royal Variety Performances, one of which he hosted, and 3 Royal Variety Performances. Billy recently received the Services to Arts and Entertainment award at the Yorkshire Awards and the Pride of Yorkshire Award. Sleeping Beauty marks his first pantomime season away from the Bradford Alhambra Theatre where he starred every year for over two decades.

Best-known for winning the coveted role of Nancy in the West End revival of Lionel Bart’s Oliver! through the BBC talent show I’d Do Anything, Jodie Prenger rose to fame singing for survival in front of a panel of famous judges and millions of television viewers every Saturday night also winning the Theatregoers’ Choice Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Musical. She is a regular guest DJ for BBC Radio 2 and has toured the UK extensively in the in the one-woman musical, Andrew Lloyd-Webber’s Tell Me On a Sunday, starred in the title role of Calamity Jane on its UK tour and appeared nationwide in the acclaimed, one-woman, Willy Russell play Shirley Valentine.

Best-known for his role as Coronation Street’s eccentric baker Diggory Compton Eric Potts stars as The Queen. Eric has appeared in and written numerous
pantomimes over the last two decades, bringing his unique brand of comedy and showmanship, in an array of outrageous costumes to audiences’ delight. His
television roles include Doctor Who, Still Game, Peak Practice and Brookside, and he regularly appears on stage across the UK in classical plays, revues and
comedies. Sleeping Beauty marks Eric’s return to the Opera House having starred alongside Craig Revel Horwood in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs last
year.

They will be joined by Louis Gaunt as The Prince. Most recently seen as Kenicke in the UK tour of Grease, Louis has appeared in Sweet Charity at Nottingham Playhouse, Kiss Me, Kate at Sheffield Crucible and starred as Will Parker in Oklahoma! at the Grange Park Opera, for which he won the 2018 Stage Debut Award for Best Actor in a Musical.

This new production will be packed full of comedy routines, audience-safe participation and all the unmissable magic that Manchester Opera House audiences have come to expect from their annual festive pantomime. The previously advertised production of Aladdin will be staged in 2021 and existing bookers have already been contacted with details of their new tickets.

The support of The National Lottery will ensure that socially distanced panto can take place this year at Manchester Opera House, and other theatres across the UK. Up to 20,000 free tickets to pantomimes across the country, including in Manchester, will be made available to National Lottery players to thank them for making it possible for this Christmas tradition to go ahead. National Lottery players raise on average £30M each week for Good Causes. This year has
seen up to £600M in National Lottery funding being used by charities and organisations affected by the impact of the coronavirus outbreak across the
arts, community and charity, heritage, education, environment and sport sectors.

Starring the Strictly judge the nation loves to hate, the fab-u-lous Craig Revel Horwood as The Sheriff of Nottingham, alongside hilarious funny man Matt Slack, the legendary pairing of Richard Cadell & Sooty, Robin Hood will play from Friday 18 December for a Strictly limited 3 week run.

The production is able to go ahead thanks to the support of The National Lottery, which will give thousands of theatregoers, in Bristol and across the country, the chance to enjoy socially distanced pantomime this Christmas. The show is being staged as a result of an initiative between The National Lottery and Qdos Entertainment which is providing financial support for theatres to stage socially distanced, live pantomimes this festive season. This will make it viable for venues, including the Hippodrome, to open their doors to the general public, generating vital income for the theatre and helping to restore jobs while providing much-needed cheer for pantomime lovers.

Fresh from the ballroom, Craig Revel Horwood will star as the villainous Sheriff of Nottingham and show Bristol his real mettle as he tries to outwit Robin Hood and win the hand of the beautiful Maid Marion. Craig is a well-known face on television in the UK and now all over the world, as a judge on all 18 series of BBC1’s Strictly Come Dancing. In 2013, Craig wrote and directed a brand-new show, Strictly Confidential that toured the UK starring familiar faces from Strictly Come Dancing. He has directed and choreographed the Strictly Come Dancing Live Tour, as well as appearing as a judge.

He recently returned to his roots as a performer in musical theatre, starring as Miss Hannigan in the West End and UK touring production of Annie. Craig also choreographed and directed the UK tour of Sister Act and the Dusty Springfield musical, Son of a Preacher Man. Craig has also published three autobiographies; All Balls and Glitter, Tales from the Dance Floor and In Strictest Confidence. This autumn he released his first novel, Dances and Dreams on Diamond Street. Robin Hood marks Craig’s 12^th consecutive pantomime for producers Qdos Entertainment having starred as a Wicked Queen, a Wicked Stepmother and Captain Hook in Snow White, Cinderella and Peter Pan respectively.

He will be joined by much-loved funny man, Matt Slack as Robin Hood. His television credits include Casualty, Doctors and EastEnders for the BBC, ITV’s Law and Order and the feature film The Rise of the Krays. On stage he has appeared in Boogie Nights and Hot Flush on their UK tours, and in Blood Brothers in London’s West End. Matt has entertained and delighted audiences in Birmingham Hippodrome’s pantomime each festive season since 2013, roles which have won him, amongst others, the Best Comic accolade at the Great British Pantomime Awards.

Craig and Matt will be joined by television icons Richard Cadell as Will Scarlet, with his mischievous sidekick, Sooty. A star of television, stage, comics, animation and movies, Sooty made his screen debut almost 70 years ago and in that time has delighted audiences of millions worldwide with his cheeky
sense of humour, jaw-dropping magic tricks and hilarious mishaps, despite not ageing whatsoever. First supported by his original owner and friend Harry
Corbett (and later his son Matthew) Sooty became a regular on the BBC’s Saturday Special, and fronted his own programmes The Sooty Show and Sooty & Co. Richard has presented Sooty on stage and television for over 20 years following Matthew’s retirement, with their programmes remaining ITVs most popular children’s show.

Joining them will be hilarious pantomime dame Andrew Ryan and west end musical leading ladies Landi Oshinowo and Nicola Meehan.

This new production will be packed full of comedy routines, audience-safe participation and all the unmissable magic that Bristol Hippodrome audiences have come to expect from their annual festive pantomime. The previously advertised production of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs will be staged in 2021 and existing bookers have already been contacted with details of their new tickets.

The support of The National Lottery will ensure that socially distanced panto can take place this year at Bristol Hippodrome, and other theatres across the UK. Up to 20,000 free tickets to pantomimes across the country, including in Bristol, will be made available to National Lottery players to thank them for making it possible for this Christmas tradition to go ahead. National Lottery players raise on average £30M each week for Good Causes. This year has seen up to £600M in National Lottery funding being used by charities and organisations affected by the impact of the coronavirus outbreak across the arts, community and charity, heritage, education, environment and sport sectors.

The production is able to go ahead thanks to the support of The National Lottery, which will give thousands of theatregoers, in Plymouth and across the country, the chance to enjoy socially distanced pantomime this Christmas. The show is being staged as a result of an initiative between The National Lottery and Qdos Entertainment which is providing financial support for theatres to stage socially distanced, live pantomimes this festive season. This will make it viable for venues, including TRP, to open their doors to the general public, generating vital income for the theatre and helping to restore jobs while providing much-needed cheer for pantomime lovers.

Television presenter, comedian and actor Les Dennis has been a mainstay of British entertainment since he won the 1974 talent show New Faces. His appearance propelled him to stardom with featured spots on light entertainment shows including The Laughter Show and Les hosted Family Fortunes for an unprecedented fifteen-year run. His theatre work includes roles in Chicago, Spamalot, She Loves Me and Me and My Girl in the West End, the UK tours of Art,
High School Musical, Hairspray, Legally Blonde and The Addams Family playing Uncle Fester. His film and television credits include Intimate Relations
opposite Julie Walters, Brookside, Hotel Babylon, Merseybeat and Extras. In 2014, he joined Coronation Street as Michael Rodwell, a petty criminal who met his demise at the hands of the evil Pat Phelan, played by his pantomime cast (and now ship) mate, Connor McIntyre. Les will star as Mrs Crusoe, mother of the sea-sailing hero, Robinson.

Connor McIntyre has previously appeared in The Governor, A & E, Murder City, See No Evil, Wire in the Blood, Law and Order, London’s Burning and Casualty. His film roles include The Be All and End All and Charlie Noads R.I.P while his stage work includes appearances in The Comedy of Errors, One for the Road and Harry’s Christmas. He is best known, however, as the malevolent mainstay of ITV’s Coronation Street, Pat Phelan, since he made his debut in 2013 where he was embroiled in numerous high-profile storylines solidifying his reputation as one of soap-land’s ultimate baddies. Connor will play Captain Cockle in this year’s pantomime, which will mark the third time he has starred on stage alongside Les, having played Ugly Sisters in Cinderella in both Manchester and Nottingham.

Pop sensation Simon Webbe is best known for being a member of the chart-topping boy band Blue. Between 2005 and 2009 the band took a break, which saw Simon launch his own solo albums and singles as well as writing songs. Simon’s career has also seen him take to the West End stage in Sister Act the Musical,
alongside Shelia Hancock and Whoopi Goldberg. He has made numerous television appearances including Strictly Come Dancing where he was a runner-up; has endured a stint in the Australian jungle in I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here!, and featured on ITV2’s The Big Reunion.

Joining Les, Connor and Simon will be returning panto favourite, comedian Andy Ford as Billy Crusoe. One of pantomime’s most successful comedians the Devon-born funny man has appeared on stages across the UK entertaining thousands of theatregoers with his quick-wit, physical routines and sense of humour winning rave-reviews and legions of fans wherever he performs. Robinson Crusoe marks his return to the Theatre Royal having appeared in recent productions of Peter Pan and Dick Whittington.

Starring as the crooked Pirate Queen will be CBeebies star, Jennie Dale. Best known as Captain Captain in CBeebies’ Swashbuckle, Jennie has starred in Hansel & Gretel, The Snow Queen and The Tempest, all for the popular children’s channel. No stranger to the stage, Jennie appeared in the UK and international tour of Mamma Mia, as well as in Mary Poppins, The Lord of the Rings, Sister Act, Gigi, Les Misérables (and the subsequent blockbuster film adaptation) and The Witches of Eastwick, all in the West End.

They will be joined by the Timbuktu Tumblers, an eye-popping acrobatic team who will dazzle audiences with their displays of human pyramids, flaming
limbo dancing and energetic, gravity-defying routines.

This year’s production, created especially for Theatre Royal Plymouth in this unprecedented year, will be a riotously funny, one-act celebration of pantomime, packed full of comedy and laughter and allow audience members the opportunity to come safely together and enjoy the magic of the much-loved and unique art form this festive season.

Adrian Vinken, CEO at Theatre Royal Plymouth said: “We are just thrilled to be able to bring Robinson Crusoe with its terrific cast to Plymouth this Christmas. This panto may feel a little different to previous years with the new measures we’ve put in place to keep our audiences, staff and performers safe. However, with this cast I’m confident that the panto spirit and fun will feel just as magical as ever. Despite the new lockdown that the whole country is facing right now, everyone at TRP is still working hard to deliver our plans. We aim to bring some much-needed laughter and Christmas spirit back to our stages, and vitality and life back to our city centre.”

This new production will be packed full of comedy routines, audience-safe participation and all the unmissable magic that Theatre Royal Plymouth audiences have come to expect from their annual festive pantomime. The previously advertised production of Aladdin will be staged in 2021 and existing bookers have already been contacted with details of their new tickets.

Up to 20,000 free tickets to pantomimes across the country, including in Plymouth, will be made available to National Lottery players to thank them for making it
possible for this Christmas tradition to go ahead. National Lottery players raise on average £30M each week for Good Causes. This year has seen up to £600M in National Lottery funding being used by charities and organisations affected by the impact of the coronavirus outbreak across the arts, community and charity,
heritage, education, environment and sport sectors.

Tickets for Robinson Crusoe will be on sale to the general public from Wednesday 18 November and available to purchase on the TRP website.

Safety for customers, staff and performers is the venue’s number one priority and these socially distanced pantomime performances will adhere to all national government guidance and local restrictions. Measures in place to keep everyone safe will include socially distanced seating, electronic ticketing and flexible returns policy, one-way systems, hand sanitiser stations, temperature-checking and enhanced cleaning procedures. For more details on what a socially distanced visit to the venue will look like, please visit trch.co.uk/covid-19-measures

The production is able to go ahead thanks to the support of The National Lottery, which will give thousands of theatregoers, in Nottingham and across the country, the chance to enjoy socially distanced pantomime this Christmas. The show is being staged as a result of an initiative between The National Lottery and Qdos Entertainment which is providing financial support for theatres to stage socially distanced, live pantomimes this festive season. This will make it viable for venues, including the Theatre Royal, to open their doors to the general public, generating vital income for the theatre and helping to restore jobs while providing much-needed cheer for pantomime lovers.

Best known as one half of the legendary Chuckle Brothers, Paul Chuckle will play the role of The King. The much-loved duo were known to generations of children for their popular prime-time children’s television show Chucklevision, of which more than 290 episodes were made. The series proved to be so successful that in 2008 BAFTA presented Paul and his late brother Barry with an award for ‘services to British children’s television’. During the mid-nineties the pair recorded three series of their own TV game show and have toured the UK extensively, even releasing a charity single with Tinchy Stryder and performed in over 50 pantomimes at major venues across the UK every Christmas. Paul last appeared in pantomime at the Theatre Royal in Jack and the Beanstalk in 2016.

Making a welcome return to the Theatre Royal will be comedian Ben Nickless as Muddles. Having started his working life playing the comedy clubs of the North West, Ben’s career took off in 2006 when he performed his own style of comedy and impressions on the BBC Television series Let Me Entertain You, winning his episode. Ben has proven to be one of the country’s most popular pantomime performers, including a nomination for Best Comic at the Great British Pantomime Awards. Sleeping Beauty marks Ben’s return to the Theatre Royal having previously starred alongside Sherrie Hewson, Biggins, Lesley Joseph and David Hasselhoff in their previous festive productions, as well as his own one-man show.

Street dance troupe Flawless, who will star as The Queen’s Guards, were made world famous having competed in the third series of ITV’s Britain’s Got Talent, and have been a mainstay of the hip-hop dance scene for over a decade. Having been formed by Marlon Wallen and Amelia Benoit in 2005, the group won the annual National UK Street Dancing Championships and made their television debut on the BBC’s The Slammer. Since then they appeared in the dance movies StreetDance and StreetDance2, collaborated with Kylie Minogue (by Royal Appointment) and have appeared in numerous pantomimes for Qdos Entertainment.

They will be joined by hilarious pantomime dame David Robbins as The Queen, back again after starring as Ugly Sister in Cinderella in 2012 and west end musical stars Kimberly Blake, fresh from her west end role in Pretty Woman as The Enchantress, and Hannah Grace Lawson as Princess Beauty. Completing the line-up is Jack McNeill as the Prince, marking his third consecutive Theatre Royal pantomime having starred in the title role of Peter Pan, and Dandini in last year’s production of Cinderella. This year’s pantomime will be directed by Guy Unsworth, who also directed last year.

Portfolio Holder for Leisure, Culture & IT at Nottingham City Council, Councillor Dave Trimble, said: “Pantomime plays an enduring and much-loved part in our city’s rich cultural life, a festive highlight which has marked each and every year since the Theatre Royal’s very first pantomime in 1865. Many people’s first memory of coming to the theatre will have been a family trip to the panto. Once theatres are allowed to safely reopen again, we very much look forward to welcoming audiences back this Christmas, after what has been an incredibly challenging year for us all. We can’t wait to see everyone share some much-needed festive cheer!”

This year’s production, created especially for the Theatre Royal Nottingham in this unprecedented year, will be a riotously funny, one-act celebration of pantomime, packed full of comedy and laughter and allow audience members the opportunity to come safely together and enjoy the magic of the much-loved and unique art form this festive season.

The previously advertised production of Robin Hood will be staged in 2021 and existing bookers have already been contacted with details of their new tickets.

The support of The National Lottery will ensure that socially distanced panto can take place this year at the Theatre Royal, and other theatres across the UK. Up to 20,000 free tickets to pantomimes across the country, including in Nottingham, will be made available to National Lottery players to thank them for making it possible for this Christmas tradition to go ahead. National Lottery players raise on average £30M each week for Good Causes. This year has seen up to £600M in National Lottery funding being used by charities and organisations affected by the impact of the coronavirus outbreak across the arts, community and charity, heritage, education, environment and sport sectors.

Tickets for Sleeping Beauty go on general sale on Tuesday 17 November at 10am from www.trch.co.uk or via the box office on 0115 989 5555.

With the much-loved Stoke regulars Jonathan Wilkes and Christian Patterson at its helm, this specially-created show will bring pantomime back to the Potteries and play from Saturday 19 December.

The production is able to go ahead thanks to the support of The National Lottery, which will give thousands of theatregoers, in Stoke and across the country, the chance to enjoy socially distanced pantomime this Christmas. The show is being staged as a result of an initiative between The National Lottery and Qdos Entertainment which is providing financial support for theatres to stage socially distanced, live pantomimes this festive season. This will make it viable for venues, including the Regent, to open their doors to the general public, generating vital income for the theatre and helping to restore jobs while providing much-needed cheer for pantomime lovers.

Baddeley-Green born showman Jonny Wilkes will make his 15^th Regent panto appearance as the hero Robinson Crusoe. No stranger to the stage, Jonny has enjoyed a varied stage career including lead roles in Chicago, The Rocky Horror Show, Guys and Dolls and Grease, and held hosting duties on You’ve Been Framed and Love on a Saturday Night on television. When not performing Jonny and his wife, Nikki, run their full-time performing arts school the Wilkes Academy in Swindon.

Joining him as his mother, Mrs Crusoe, Christian Patterson stars alongside Jonny for the 11^th time in the stage partnership that delights Stoke audiences year after year. Trained at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Christian has held roles in The Woman in Black, Journey’s End and Matilda, and is currently appearing in My Country; a work in progress at the National Theatre. Most recently Christian was seen in the hit Channel 4 drama, The
Accident, alongside Sarah Lancashire and Joanna Scanlan.

Frazer Hoyle, Theatre Director at The Regent Theatre said: “We are very excited to announce that Stoke will have a Panto this year with all your usual favourites back on stage, thanks to Qdos Entertainment and the amazing support from The National Lottery. Being able to keep this festive family tradition alive after such a difficult year feels very special and the support of The National Lottery will enabled us to bring some fun and happiness to the people of Stoke and it will also support some of our fantastic Regent Theatre team as they return to work on this special show. We look forward to seeing you over the festive period and we hope you enjoy the show!”

This new production will be packed full of comedy routines, audience-safe participation and all the unmissable magic that Regent audiences have come to expect from their annual festive pantomime. The previously advertised production of Cinderella will be staged in 2021 and existing bookers have already
been contacted with details of their new tickets.

The support of The National Lottery will ensure that socially distanced panto can take place this year at the Regent Theatre, and other theatres across the UK. Up to 20,000 free tickets to pantomimes across the country, including in Stoke, will be made available to National Lottery players to thank them for making it possible for this Christmas tradition to go ahead. National Lottery players raise on average £30M each week for Good Causes. This year has seen up to £600M in National Lottery funding being used by charities and organisations affected by the impact of the coronavirus outbreak across the arts, community and charity, heritage, education, environment and sport sectors.

The production is able to go ahead thanks to the support of The National Lottery, which will give thousands of theatregoers, in Milton Keynes and across the country, the chance to enjoy socially distanced pantomime this Christmas. The show is being staged as a result of an initiative between The National Lottery and Qdos Entertainment which is providing financial support for theatres to stage socially distanced, live pantomimes this festive season. This will make it viable for venues, including the Milton Keynes Theatre, to open their doors to the general public, generating vital income for the theatre and helping to restore jobs while providing much-needed cheer for pantomime lovers.

Best-known for winning the BBC talent show Any Dream Will Do, Lee Mead won the title role in the West End revival of Andrew Lloyd-Webber’s Joseph
and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat to rave reviews. Since then Lee has had lead roles in Wicked and Legally Blonde in the West End, released
several solo albums and toured extensively. No stranger to pantomime, Lee has starred in seven Qdos Entertainment pantomimes, including his star turn as
Prince Charming in their critically acclaimed production of Cinderella at the London Palladium and last year’s Milton Keynes Theatre pantomime, Aladdin. From 2014 to 2016 Lee starred as Ben “Lofty” Chiltern in Casualty, which saw him nominated for various national Best Newcomer television awards, a role he reprised on the popular BBC spin-off series, Holby City. Sleeping Beauty will see Lee swap the medical gowns for something more regal in the role of the Prince.

Starring alongside Lee as the evil Carabosse will be star of screen and stage, Claire Sweeney. Having shot to fame as Lindsey Corkhill in Brookside, Claire
went on to form a hugely successful stage career, including high-profile appearances in Chicago, Fosse and Guys and Dolls in the West End, was a regular panellist on ITV’s Loose Women and presented numerous shows including 60 Minute Makeover and Chef Vs Britain alongside Gino D’Acampo. Claire returned to the stage touring the UK in Legally Blonde the Musical, Educating Rita and Tell Me on a Sunday, and most recently appeared in the hit comedies
Benidorm for ITV and Scarborough for the BBC, both penned by Derren Litten.

In the role of The Enchantress will be pop and television star Suzanne Shaw, who rose to fame via the popular ITV talent search Popstars and the music group Hearsay. The band’s debut single Pure and Simple was the fastest-selling non-charitable record ever to reach number one, with sell-out tours and a record-breaking album which followed. Suzanne went on to establish herself as an actress with leading stage roles in Chicago, The Rocky Horror Show, Summer Holiday, White Christmas, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, appeared in various pantomimes, and starred as Eve Jenson ITV1’s Emmerdale.
She won the third series of ITV1’s popular skating show Dancing on Ice and participated in the All Stars series in 2014.

Starring as Princess Beauty’s hilarious best friend Muddles is comedian and magician Pete Firman. Widely recognised having starred in BBC1’s prime-time Saturday night programme The Magicians, he has made special guest appearances on ITV1’s The Next Great Magician and Let’s Sing and Dance for Comic Relief. His skill for fusing magic and comedy has made him one of the most in demand magicians working on British television, writing and performing in magic shows such as Monkey Magic, Dirty Tricks, Derren Brown’s 3D Magic Spectacular and The Secret World of Magic. An accomplished television presenter, Pete has fronted the gameshows Stakeout and Wait For It for the BBC and The Body Shocking Show for E4. His stage work has seen him perform his array of magic and comedy across the UK, performing regularly at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, the Just For Laughs comedy festival in Montreal and numerous Qdos Entertainment pantomimes.

This year’s cast will also feature two legends of comedy, Allan Stewart and Andy Gray, who will be swapping their usual pantomime home at the Kings Theatre in Edinburgh, where they have delighted almost two million festive theatregoers for the last twenty years, for Milton Keynes Theatre. The much-loved pairing of Scottish comedy royalty will provide all the laughter and quick wit the duo are best-known and loved for in their native home, with Allan playing The Queen and Andy as The King.

Allan Stewart has enjoyed an extensive career in stand up, music and musical theatre for a number of decades, including ITV one-man comedy programme, The Allan Stewart Tapes and he has appeared on a variety of sketch and variety programmes throughout the 1980s. On stage Allan has appeared in
numerous Royal Variety Performances and performed to critical-acclaim in the Olivier Award winning musical Jolson the Musical. A mainstay of pantomime, Allan has appeared at the Kings Theatre in Edinburgh every year since 1998, and holds the venue’s record for playing Dame more times than any other actor.

Andy Gray starred in BBC Scotland’s award-winning comedy Naked Video, sitcom City Lights, Two Thousand Acres of Sky for the BBC and Boyz
Unlimited opposite James Corden. He has regularly toured Scotland in numerous comedies on stage, is a regular at the Edinburgh Fringe and starred in the Susan Boyle musical, I Dreamed a Dream. More recently Andy made his debut in the popular Glasgow-based soap River City and in the 2020 film When
Stars Align.

They will be joined by Tegan Bannister in the title role of Princess Beauty. A graduate of both Sylvia Young Theatre School and Urdang Academy, Tegan has already enjoyed west end success having appeared in The Lion King and most recently as Eponine on the critically-acclaimed UK tour of Les Misérables. Tegan returns to Milton Keynes pantomime having starred as Princess Jasmine last year. Will Jennings also joins the cast as Slimeball, having played Dandini in pantomime for Qdos last year in Wimbledon. Will’s theatre credits include Les Misérables in Concert, Benidorm Live, The Mousetrap, Shrek the Musical and Avenue Q.

General Manager of Milton Keynes Theatre, Emma Sullivan, said: “We are totally overjoyed to be opening our doors again for a fantastic family pantomime! With thanks to Qdos Entertainment and The National Lottery we will be able to host an unforgettable festive experience with all the laughs and thrills you would expect, while making sure the theatre is absolutely safe for our audiences. To express our gratitude to the incredible NHS workers, we will also be inviting them and their loved ones to the first performance free of charge. This year, we hope to give Milton Keynes a much-needed Christmas to remember!”

This new production will be packed full of comedy routines, audience-safe participation and all the unmissable magic that Milton Keynes Theatre audiences have come to expect from their annual festive pantomime. The previously advertised production of Jack and the Beanstalk will be staged in 2021 and existing bookers have already been contacted with details of their new tickets.

The support of The National Lottery will ensure that socially distanced panto can take place this year at Milton Keynes Theatre, and other theatres across the UK. Up to 20,000 free tickets to pantomimes across the country, including in Milton Keynes, will be made available to National Lottery players to thank them for making it possible for this Christmas tradition to go ahead. National Lottery players raise on average £30M each week for Good Causes. This year has seen up to £600M in National Lottery funding being used by charities and organisations affected by the impact of the coronavirus outbreak across the arts, community and charity, heritage, education, environment and sport sectors.

Starring the Strictly judge the nation loves to hate, the fab-u-lous Craig Revel Horwood as The Sheriff of Nottingham, alongside the Hippodrome’s pantomime superstar Matt Slack, the legendary pairing of Richard Cadell & Sooty and the Black Country’s funniest matriarch Doreen Tipton, Robin Hood will play from 15 to 31 January 2021 for a Strictly limited run. The socially distanced, one-act production will temporarily change venues due to Birmingham Hippodrome’s hosting of the critically acclaimed Van Gogh Alive experience.

The production is able to go ahead thanks to the support of The National Lottery, which will give thousands of theatregoers, in Birmingham and across the
country, the chance to enjoy socially distanced pantomime this Christmas. The show is being staged as a result of an initiative between The National Lottery
and Qdos Entertainment which is providing financial support for theatres to stage socially distanced, live pantomimes this festive season. This will make
it viable for venues to open their doors to the general public, generating vital income for the theatres and helping to restore jobs while providing much-needed cheer for pantomime lovers.

Fresh from the ballroom, Craig Revel Horwood will star as the villainous Sheriff of Nottingham and show Birmingham his real mettle as he tries to outwit Robin Hood and win the hand of the beautiful Maid Marion. Craig is a well-known face on television in the UK and now all over the world, as a judge on all 18 series of BBC1’s Strictly Come Dancing. In 2013, Craig wrote and directed a brand-new show, Strictly Confidential that toured the UK starring familiar faces from Strictly Come Dancing. He has directed and choreographed the Strictly Come Dancing Live Tour, as well as appearing as a judge.

He recently returned to his roots as a performer in musical theatre, starring as Miss Hannigan in the West End and UK touring production of Annie. Craig also choreographed and directed the UK tour of Sister Act and the Dusty Springfield musical, Son of a Preacher Man. Craig has also published three Autobiographies; All Balls and Glitter, Tales from the Dance Floor and In Strictest Confidence. This autumn he released his first novel, Dances and Dreams on Diamond Street. Robin Hood marks Craig’s 12^th consecutive pantomime for producers Qdos Entertainment having starred as a Wicked Queen, a Wicked Stepmother and Captain Hook in Snow White, Cinderella and Peter Pan respectively.

He will be joined by hilarious Hippodrome funny man, Matt Slack as Robin Hood. His television credits include Casualty, Doctors and EastEnders for the BBC, ITV’s Law and Order and the feature film The Rise of the Krays. On stage he has appeared in Boogie Nights and Hot Flush on their UK tours, and in Blood Brothers in London’s West End. Matt has entertained and delighted audiences at the Hippodrome pantomime for the last seven years in roles which have won him, amongst others, the Best Comic accolade at the Great British Pantomime Awards.

Craig and Matt will be joined by television icons Richard Cadell as Will Scarlet, with his mischievous sidekick, Sooty. A star of television, stage, comics, animation and movies, Sooty made his screen debut almost 70 years ago and in that time has delighted audiences of millions worldwide with his cheeky
sense of humour, jaw-dropping magic tricks and hilarious mishaps, despite not ageing whatsoever. First supported by his original owner and friend Harry
Corbett (and later his son Matthew) Sooty became a regular on the BBC’s Saturday Special, and fronted his own programmes The Sooty Show and Sooty & Co. Richard has presented Sooty on stage and television for over 20 years following Matthew’s retirement, with their programmes remaining ITVs most popular children’s show.

Joining them as Mrs Tuck is Doreen Tipton, back for her second consecutive Hippodrome pantomime, following her star turn in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs last year. In her own inimitable style, the Black Country star will showcase her dry wit, penchant for doing as little as possible and helping Robin and his
Merry Men as they rob from the rich and give to the poor.

Joining them will be hilarious pantomime dame and Hippodrome regular Andrew Ryan and west end musical leading ladies Landi Oshinowo, Nicola Meehan and Lauren Chia.

Artistic Director and Chief Executive of Birmingham Hippodrome, Fiona Allan and Managing Director of Qdos Entertainment Michael Harrison, who has directed the Hippodrome pantomime for the past 10 years, said: “We’re delighted to be working together to make sure that our loyal audiences in Birmingham don’t miss out on the magic of pantomime this year. Presenting Robin Hood at The Alexandra allows us to see two of the city’s key cultural institutions open with social distancing in place. Although on a different stage, this year’s show will be designed and created by the usual Hippodrome panto creative team, and will feature all the comedy and laughter our audiences have come to expect”.

This new production will be packed full of comedy routines, audience-safe participation and all the unmissable magic that Hippodrome audiences know and love from their annual festive pantomime in their temporary theatrical home at The Alexandra for this year only.

Lisa Mart, Theatre Director at The Alexandra added: “Words can’t quite express how thrilled we are to be working with Qdos Entertainment and our friends at Birmingham Hippodrome to bring this much loved annual tradition back to the city this festive season! This cross-venue collaboration is one of many examples of cultural organisations in Birmingham working together to provide audiences with entertainment during what has been a challenging time for the sector. We are incredibly grateful to the National Lottery for their support, without which we would not have been able to proceed. The opportunity to bring our team back to the venue to prepare for this special socially-distanced experience is the Christmas present we have all been dreaming of!”

The previously advertised production of Goldilocks and the Three Bears starring Jason Donovan and Matt Slack will be staged back at the Hippodrome in December 2021 and existing bookers have already been contacted with details of their new tickets.

The support of The National Lottery will ensure that socially distanced panto can take place this year in Birmingham, and other theatres across the UK. Up to 20,000 free tickets to pantomimes across the country, will be made available to National Lottery players to thank them for making it possible for this Christmas tradition to go ahead. National Lottery players raise on average £30M each week for Good Causes. This year has seen up to £600M in National Lottery funding being used by charities and organisations affected by the impact of the coronavirus outbreak across the arts, community and charity, heritage, education, environment and sport sectors.