Dubbed the comedy wordsmith, Lloyd Hollett is once again busy starring in the Marlowe Theatre panto.

He spoke to reporter Katie Davis about all things panto, cats, and of course his hometown Margate.

It’s fair to say Lloyd Hollett needs little introduction.

Having starred as a panto favourite at the Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury, in recent years and worked alongside Jim Davidson on countless tours, he’s at the forefront of the not only the Kent comedy scene, but the country’s.

Lloyd, 37, grew up in Margate and his acting career kickstarted at a young age.

He said: “My grandad saw an advert in the paper in about 1989 which said there were auditions for Oliver for the work house boy roles and I wasn’t remotely interested, but it said it starred Jessica Muschamp who was Nancy in Neighbours at the time so I knew her, as I was a big fan of Neighbours and it said you got paid.

“So Oliver was the very first show I did, and I remember walking out to Food Glorious Food and that initial stomach churning moment was quite something, but there’s something exhilarating about it at the same time.”

The Marlowe Theatre panto has been something Lloyd has always enjoyed, having come to shows as a young child with his auntie and uncle.

He said: “As a kid it was like what a dream to watch it -let alone be in it.”

Lloyd wrote to Paul Hendy, having done pantos at Margate’s Theatre Royal, and was offered a role in the Stevenage panto.

He said: “I had my fingers crossed for Canterbury but he said he could only offer me Stevenage as Canterbury was fully cast.

“I started driving lessons the next day - I passed in the September and started panto in the November.

“I’ve worked with Paul ever since - and I’ve never looked back.

“I love doing Canterbury panto, it means I’m home for Christmas, which is great for someone like me who is always on the road.

“It is like coming back to a family here, working with them every year.

“Me and Ben Roddy get on so well.

“I always say panto is like therapy to me, I’m on my own all year and then at Christmas you come together and work with other people - and all the shows sell out.

“When that safety curtain goes up and you hear the kids screaming and it gives you such a buzz.

“And they are good shows, I’m not just saying that because I am in them.

“Paul and Emily Wood have a lot of heart in their shows. Paul doesn’t like producing too many pantos.

“There are other companies which have like 30 pantos, but Paul has about seven or eight.

“It’s proper family entertainment.”

Panto holds a special place in Lloyd’s heart as it’s also where he proposed to his now wife Dannii on stage in 2012.

Lloyd said: “It was quite epic, we all knew it was going to happen, except Dannii of course.

“Throughout the whole run we knew it was going to happen on that date so it was like a military operation -especially after she started working on wardrobe backstage.

“Then we didn’t know if she’d say yes - she’s so shy so I didn’t even know if she’d come on stage.

“Toyah had an idea to get her on stage to give Dannii some flowers as a thank you for helping her out.”

But Lloyd needn’t worry as she said yes - and the pair married last summer.

Away from the stage, Lloyd is known for being a feline fanatic, with two cats of his own from local charity Cats in Crisis, for which he is a patron.

He said: “I adopted one of their cats, Arthur, about three years ago after he was abandoned and left for dead under a lamppost on Canterbury Road - it was so sad.

“But I saw his picture and I thought I just have to have him.

“Two years later I got Mogwai as a birthday surprise for Dannii.

“I never thought we’d have two, let alone one so I don’t know how far we’ll go.

“I’m end up like an old cat lady if I’m not careful!”

Having grown up in Margate, Lloyd now lives in Westgate-on-Sea with Dannii and the two cats.

He said: “I love how amazing Margate is.

“I grew up in Cliftonville and my parents would always take me to Westgate-on-Sea on days out and I just fell in love with the town - I just love the quirkiness of Westgate.

“I’m loving Margate more now, especially since they got the Turner there which kind of kick started everything else and thank god for Dreamland.

“Dreamland is so great now, and it’s great that people can just walk in there then pay to go on the rides because that’s how it used to be.

“When you’re driving down at night and see Dreamland all lit up it really is beautiful and it makes me very proud to live in Thanet.

“All my family live in Thanet, I’ve got a big family - my three brothers and my sister all live there.

“Me and my wife would however like to live closer to her family, who live in Wiltshire - ideally it’d be nice to live half way between.”

As well as touring with Jim Davidson again, who Lloyd says is ‘like a comedy professor’, he will be returning to the Marlowe panto once again next year, but this time as an ugly sister. Oh yes he is!

Lloyd said: “There’s a scary thought - it’ll be a different dynamic being an ugly sister.

“Me and Ben are already mixing ideas for like what sort of songs we should sing together - like should we sing It’s Raining Men as a duet.

“I’ll be taking make-up tips off him, you know, the master of it.

“It’ll definitely be interesting, especially with the amount of costume changes which I’m not used to.

“We’ve also got Mister Maker back which will be great - everyone loves Mister Maker, and the three of us get on so well.

“We’ve even got a seat in the Marlowe nameds after us which is lovely.”

Lloyd believes Ben is one of the best and funniest dames in the country

He said: "I'm so lucky to working alongside his genius every day.

"We are just laughing all of the time, on and off stage.

"To think this is a job is crazy."

Lloyd will be starring in the Marlowe Theatre’s panto Peter Pan as Starkey until Sunday, January 14.

Jim Davidson’s tour with Lloyd stops off at Margate Winter Gardens on Friday, February 2.

For tour dates and more, visit Lloyd's website here