Star Studded Line Up for De Montfort Hall Panto

After breaking box office records last year, De Montfort Hall today announces their star studded line up for this year’s spectacular family pantomime Beauty and the Beast.

Richard ‘Dick’ McCourt of children’s TV’s Dick and Dom fame will star alongside the star of ITV’s Heartbeat, David Lonsdale and Leicester’s very own singing sensation Sam Bailey; who returns for a second year. Also returning again is everyone’s favourite pantomime dame, Martin Ballard, from BBC Radio Leicester.

Antony Flint, De Montfort Hall General Manager, said “I’m really, really pleased with the line-up, and not just because it provides the celebrity that people always expect from us, but also because it gives us a great platform for all the gags, comedy and mayhem that Leicester has come to expect from the De Montfort Hall Panto”.

Children’s television star Richard McCourt has been part of the BAFTA Award winning duo Dick and Dom for twenty years and has appeared in some of the most popular shows in CBBC history including Dick and Dom in Da Bungalow, The Legend of Dick and Dom and Absolute Genius amongst others.

David Lonsdale is an accomplished singer and theatre actor but is probably best known for his TV work in the role of David Stockwell in the long running TV series Heartbeat and as a teenage Peter Barlow in Coronation Street.

Leicester’s Sam Bailey shot to fame in 2013 when she won X-Factor and proceeded to have a Christmas number one as well as a number one album. Since then Sam has gone from strength to strength, releasing her second album in 2016 as well as touring as Mama Morton in Chicago and this year sees her touring the UK in her Sing My Heart Out tour.

Sam Said “I’m so excited to be back on home turf at De Montfort Hall again this year. I absolutely love Beauty and the Beast too so it’s a double bonus for me.  I had a great time last year and I can’t wait to see everyone again this Christmas.”

No Leicester panto would be complete without BBC Leicester broadcaster Martin Ballard who’s donning the dame’s frock once again, as he returns for his seventh pantomime season at De Montfort Hall.

Steve Boden, managing director of Imagine Theatre who co-produce the pantomime with De Montfort Hall, commented “We are really excited about our Beauty and the Beast cast. We are delighted to welcome Richard and David for their first De Montfort Hall pantomime; and it is great to have both Sam and Martin back again this year as in addition to being outstanding performers they are both very well known and involved in the local community and give the show a real Leicester feel”.

Beauty and the Beast runs from Saturday 16th December 2017 until Sunday 7th January 2018, and with the panto breaking box office records last year we advise people to book as early as possible for this ‘beauty’ of a show.

Justin Fletcher Returns for Pantomime at The Hexagon

The Hexagon in Reading are delighted to announce that children’s TV megastar Justin Fletcher will be returning to star in their spectacular family pantomime Peter Pan.

The local star is known to millions of children all over the world for his award winning television shows including Justin’s House, Gigglebiz and Something Special, starring Mr Tumble.  

This will be Justin’s sixth panto at The Hexagon as he takes on the role of hapless trainee pirate Mr Smee in a special panto version of the popular children’s classic written by BAFTA Award winning writer Will Brenton.

Steve Boden, who regularly directs The Hexagon panto as well as being Managing Director of Imagine Theatre who produce the panto says “We are delighted to be working with Justin once again. He is such a natural talent with a genuine love of performing, particularly of the sort of slapstick humour that is part and parcel of panto.”

Justin’s love of slap stick humour comes from being a huge fan of legendary duo Laurel and Hardy since the age of five and as regular panto-goers at The Hexagon will know, he is never shy of taking a custard pie in the face during a show!

Life as one of the most popular figures in children’s television is always hectic. Before spending Christmas in Snow White at the Hexagon, Justin took on a different role, that of Mr Perks in the West End production of The Railway Children at the King’s Cross Theatre. Following on from panto Justin is currently starring in a UK wide tour of Justin’s Party – all of this in addition to his myriad of filming commitments with the BBC.

Don’t miss out on your chance to see Justin in Peter Pan this Christmas. The show runs from Saturday 9 December 2017 until Sunday 7 January 2018 and tickets are already ‘flying’ out of the door!