Jennifer Saunders and Rob Madge to star in London Palladium panto

Take the first star to the right and go on straight till morning this Christmas, as it's been announced that Peter Pan is this year's Palladium Panto.

The initial cast has been confirmed as:

• Jennifer Saunders as Captain Hook
• Rob Madge (My Son's A Queer, But What Can You Do?) as Tink
• Julian Clary as Seaman Smee
• Paul Zerdin as Starkey
• Nigel Havers as Pirate Nigel
• Gary Wilmot as Mrs Henrietta Hook

Julian Clary, Nigel Havers and Paul Zerdin have all previously starred in pantomimes at The London Palladium since the 2016 production of Cinderella. Gary Wilmot joined the cast in 2017, with Rob Madge making their Palladium Panto debut in last year's production of Jack and the Beanstalk. Further cast will be confirmed at a later date.

The creatives are: Set designs by Mark Walters, costume designs by Hugh Durrant, choreography by Karen Bruce, lighting designs by Ben Cracknell, sound designs by Gareth Owen and composition and orchestrations by Gary Hind.

Running at the London Palladium for a strictly limited run, Peter Pan flies into the iconic venue between 9 December till 14 January 2024.

Directed by Michael Harrison, the production will mark Jennifer Saunder's Palladium panto debut. She said: "I could not be more delighted to be doing my first panto ever at the Palladium. I am a huge fan of panto and The Palladium always delivers. I wouldn't want to be in Peter Pan's tiny soft shoes let me tell you, because I am going to give Hook my all!'

Priority tickets go on sale at 10am on 27 April, with public booking opening on 28 April at 10am.