COMEDIAN Joe Pasquale and Blue band member and all-round entertainer Duncan James will star in this year’s big Southampton pantomime the Daily Echo can exclusively reveal today.

Mayflower Theatre has unveiled details of this year’s festive production – the magical pantomime adventure Aladdin.

National treasure and stand-out star of ITV’s Dancing On Ice, Joe Pasquale will lead a star cast in the role of Wishee Washee this Christmas.

Well-known 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.

Along the way he’s voiced characters for Hollywood movies Garfield: A Tale of Two Kitties and Horton Hears A Who!, 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…Get Me out Of Here; appeared on five Royal Variety Performances and even learned to skate for ITV1’s Dancing On Ice – no mean feat!

Joe will also be starring in Monty Python’s Spamalot at the Mayflower from April 7-11.

Alongside Joe, playing the title role of Aladdin, is singer-songwriter, television presenter, actor and all-round entertainer Duncan James. Best-known as a member of the band Blue, which reformed in 2009 following a four-year break, Duncan has appeared in the West End in Chicago and Legally Blonde.

He has also appeared on numerous television programmes, including Soapstar Superstar and Dancing on Ice where he made it to the final.

Earlier this year Duncan was seen in a new ITV show Blue Go Mad in Ibiza and he has just been confirmed as starring as Tick in Pricilla Queen of the Desert The Musical which will visit Mayflower Theatre this September.

Aladdin is produced by Qdos Entertainment, the world’s biggest pantomime producer, who were behind last year’s production of Cinderella starring Brian Conley and Gok Wan.

This year’s production will include magical 3D projection, which will provide an up-close and personal meeting with the Genie for pantomime audience!

Managing director of Qdos Entertainment’s Pantomimes Division Michael Harrison said “Bringing together the comic genius of Joe Pasquale and the talent and voice of Duncan James will guarantee Southampton audiences another spectacular pantomime season.”

Mayflower Theatre chief executive Michael Ockwell added: “I am thrilled that Joe Pasquale and Duncan James are joining us for a fun filled four-week run of Aladdin this Christmas. Building on the success of Cinderella last year this production will be a must-do for all the family over the holidays and for those who experienced the 3D in Jack and the Beanstalk a few years ago you are going to love our 3D genie.”

Tickets for Aladdin (Saturday, December 12 to Sunday, January 3) are on sale from the Mayflower Theatre Box Office. Telephone 023 8071 1811 or go online at mayflower.org.uk.