Local sketch artist Jay Pritchard continued his annual festive tradition by drawing a portrait of this year’s Gravesend pantomime star Ricky Norwood.

The EastEnders actor plays the Sheriff of Nottingham and Jay surprised him after a rehearsal at the theatre last weekend.

“He was really shocked,” he said. “I went up to him and shook his hand. He didn’t know what I was after, he just thought I was a fan or something.”

“When I said I’m an artist and I’ve drawn a picture of you he just said ‘wow!’”
“For a famous person he was actually really laid back He shook my hand and had a photo taken with me. I gave him the original but I kept a copy for myself and he signed it.”

The portrait is the latest famous face sketched by Mr Pritchard, with last year’s panto lead Jamie Foreman among them.

It has been a busy few months for the Gravesend artist, who spent last month raising money for the Royal British Legion with a piece depicting British soldiers crossing a ridge during the Battle of Mons.

He sold copies of the artwork in St George’s Shopping Centre and is still there every Saturday in the run-up to Christmas.