Long-serving panto star Christopher Biggins, who will appear at one of the county's theatres this Christmas, can't wait for this year's season to come round.

The actor, who has been playing in panto some 40 years ago, will be at the Orchard Theatre in Dartford this year, and the excitement is building.

"I think it will be terrific. I mean, very exciting," he said. "Last year was extraordinary and the pantomimes closed left, right and centre. Hopefully this year, though, it will all work smoothly. I'm really excited because it will be wonderful to bring back pantomime again to the people of Dartford.

"And also we're bringing back pantomime to the whole country and that is what is so exciting. And, you know, by hook or by crook, we'll be here parading up and down the stage, enjoying ourselves and making the audience enjoy themselves as well."

But things were very nearly quite different.

Despite many years of panto under his belt today, initially he had to be persuaded. At the age of 27, he rejected numerous requests to appear, and it took more than a decade before he relented, at the age of 39 - after being offered £1,000 a week.

"That was a huge amount of money. I mean, it was ridiculous," he said. "So I thought, well I'd better do it. And I did it purely for the money that first year. But I loved it so much. Being a dame is lovely too - I mean, thing is I've never played an ugly sister. You will understand this because I'm far too pretty!"

"I realise how important pantomime is because, you know, it's the first time a lot of people have ever been in a theatre and it's so exciting. And then if they like it, they'll come again not only to next year's pantomime, but to all the productions in between. And that is what is wonderful."

Although he says his character, Sarah the Cook, is "raunchy", panto audiences will be taken through many emotions during the show.

"One of the most notable scenes is with the cow and it's very sad, when she has to sell her to get money and taking her to the market. It's awful - it's a very moving scene and should be played like that. But there’s lots of marvellous things in it, too, you know, really good fun things and spectacle, which is great."

So how has lockdown been for him?

"So, I loved the first part of lockdown," he said. "I thought it was wonderful and it was lovely to find one's house, not that I lost it. But it's nice to rethink the house and see what things we had and how lovely things were. And that was all great and it was fun. Then it got boring. The second lock down - that was really boring."

The show will be at the Orchard Theatre in Dartford from Saturday, December 11 until Sunday, January 2, 2022. Tickets are on sale here.

See our full round-up of pantos across Kent this Christmas by clicking here

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