Watch: We meet the cast of Aladdin as Emmerdale star makes panto debut at Theatre Royal

St Helen's Theatre Royal is gearing up to take you to a whole new world this festive season as Aladdin flies in for their Christmas panto.

Best known for playing Dan Spencer on Emmerdale, Liam Fox is making his professional panto debut as the evil Abanazer. Actress and award-winning Radio City Breakfast Show host Leanne Campbell will appear digitally as the magical ‘Genie of the Mirror’.

The pantomime has a stellar wider cast, which includes Theatre Royal favourites, Tim Lucas, Warren Donnelly, Lewis Devine and Richard Aucott, the show also stars newcomers Jess Smith and Alex Aram.

Debutant Liam Fox told LiverpoolWorld: "It's great to come out of playing someone like Dan, who was funny but wasn't so funny by the end. I don't know what happened there! I can go back to being a bit funny and dark and twisted and a bit of everything, really."

Leanne Campbell said: "The truth is, I was not doing panto this year. I've done it every year since I was 10, apart from the year I gave birth to Joseph, who is 13 and the year I got married. I can't remember how many years ago I've been married - don't tell my husband - but it's a long time."

Panto-goers can also take a ride over, under and sideways at the theatre with an all-new 3D interactive flying magic carpet ride. Aladdin runs throughout the festive season until Sunday, 14 January 2024.

"This is our fastest selling Christmas panto ever,” said Theatre Royal manager and director of Aladdin Chantelle Nolan. “The school shows are packed, and our run is as long as it was pre-Covid, so we feel like we're back and raring to go!"

Watch the video above to hear more form the cast of Aladdin at St Helens’ Theatre Royal.