HE'S the king of panto - and he's returning to the Mayflower stage this Christmas.
Stage, screen and pantomime legend Christopher Biggins will join Britain's Got Talent winners and street dance sensations Ashley Banjo and Diversity in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
He will star as the Man in the Mirror during his first Southampton pantomime appearance since a triumphant stint as Buttons in Cinderella alongside Matthew Kelly and Craig McLachlan. Biggins also appeared with Cannon and Ball in Babes in the Wood in 1990.
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A mainstay of entertainment over the last five decades, Biggins first started his panto Dame career over 45 years ago before forging a highly successful career in show business.
Biggins appeared in Porridge, Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads? and Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em, and played Nero in the critically acclaimed dramatisation of I, Claudius.
He also hosted Surprise, Surprise and was crowned 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.
Also joining the line-up is actor and stand-up comedian Kev Orkian and musical theatre performers Kirsty Ingram and Rachel Stanley. Rachel appeared at Mayflower Theatre as Cinderella opposite Christopher Biggins in 2008.
Ashley Banjo and Diversity will play Prince Ashley and The Palace Guards, with Kev Orkian as Muddles, Kirsty Ingram as Snow White and Rachel Stanley playing The Wicked Queen.
Mayflower Theatre chief executive Michael Ockwell said: "What an exceptional cast we have this year. I am thrilled that panto royalty in the form of the one and only Christopher Biggins is joining us in a very special role, he is loved by audiences across the UK.
"Our star cast is once again providing the very best in festive cheer to our audiences from far and wide."
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs comes from the team behind last year's successful production of Goldilocks and the Three Bears and runs from December 9 to 31.
Tickets from mayflower.org.uk
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