Former Brookside actress and TV and stage star Claire Sweeney will play the baddie in a Chatham pantomime this winter.

The star, whose television career took off when she landed the role of Lindsey Corkhill in the Channel 4 soap, will play the wicked Carabosse in Sleeping Beauty at the Central Theatre.

Claire has appeared several times in the West End and played Roxie Hart in Chicago and Miss Adelaide in Guys and Dolls.

She was a regular on ITV’s Loose Women for three years, returning as a guest panellist on numerous occasions.

Claire was also the runner-up in the final of the first ever series of Celebrity Big Brother in 2001, losing out to comedian Jack
Dee.

In Sleeping Beauty, her character Carabosse is a rather disgruntled fairy with a serious fear of missing out.

When Carabosse doesn’t make the guest list to Princess Belle’s christening, she takes her revenge in spectacular style so it’s down to Prince Valiant, Nurse Nellie and Chester the Jester to save the day with a somewhat familiar invention.

It was announced in last week’s Messenger that Joe Tracini, who played Dennis Savage in Hollyoaks, will return to Chatham this year to play Chester.

He was a hit with audiences in last year’s production of Jack and the Beanstalk when he appeared as Simple Simon.

The son of comedian Joe Pasquale, Joe is no stranger to Medway – he grew up in Higham and went to school in Rochester.

Veteran pantomime dame Ian Good will play Joe’s on-stage mum, Dame Nellie Night Nurse.

Audiences might recognise Ian for his role as one half of Brenda and Audrey, the competitive housewives from the Bounty Kitchen Roll TV ads, which he appeared in for seven years.

Sleeping Beauty will be on from Thursday, December 7 until Sunday, December 31.

More casting announcements are said to be coming soon. Tickets are already on sale.

Call 01634 338388 or visit www.medwayticketslive.co.uk to book