Corrie's Cilla to star in Sheffield panto

Wendi, who plays the Wicked Queen, plays the much-loved character Cilla Battersby Brown in Coronation Street. Wendi’s other roles include recurring character Cook Jenkins in Hetty Feather and ‘Podger’ Pam Jolly in Bad Girls . She also appeared on Celebrity Masterchef, where she reached the finals.

Phil Gallagher will play Muddles. A BAFTA-nominated performer, Phil is best known for his role as CBeebies' Mister Maker. Since its first transmission in 2007, Mister Maker has become a worldwide hit and now plays in over 100 countries around the world.

For the past two years Phil has also taken Mister Maker on tour in the UK and internationally, including a run at the Crucible last autumn.

Sheffield pantomime favourite Damian Williams returns as Nurse Nellie, following hilarious performances at the Lyceum Theatre over the last eight years, most recently as Widow Twankey in Aladdin.

Damian has performed in a range of comedy roles, including playing Edna Turnblad in Hairspray, Luther Billis in South Pacific and Tommy Cooper in Being Tommy Cooper. Other theatre work includes My Dog’s Got No Nose, Lock Up Your Daughters, Scrooge and Little Shop Of Horrors.

He also recently appeared as Tommy Cooper in the short film The Last Laugh, written and directed by Paul Hendy, who also writes and direct the Lyceum pantomimes.

Produced by the same team behind last year’s box office hit Aladdin, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs will take to the Lyceum stage from Friday, December 9 to Sunday, January 8.

Last year’s pantomime was seen by more than 46,000 people and tickets are already selling fast, say the Lyceum.

Box office: at the Crucible, call 0114 249 6000 or go online at sheffieldtheatres.co.uk.