ONE of the biggest star-studded pantomime casts the Birmingham Hippodrome has put together gathered this week to launch what is regularly regarded as the country’s biggest panto show.

Heading the cast which will be bringing festive fun for all the family with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs between December 19 and February 2 next year, will be the multi-talented John Partridge as the Handsome Prince.

John, who has recently completed a West End run in A Chorus Line at the London Palladium, is best known for playing the role of Christian in BBC1’s EastEnders.

He was part of the panel for the hugely-successful BBC series Over the Rainbow and is a guest host of The National Lottery Draws.

Adding a little bit of sartorial chic is one of the country’s favourite fashion gurus, Gok Wan, who makes his pantomime debut in Birmingham as The Man in The Mirror.

Leicester-born Gok achieved huge success with his Channel 4 series How to Look Good Naked and has since enjoyed regular appearances on television and was recently seen in Channel 4’s The Secret Millions. The Wicked Queen will be played by stage, TV and film actress Stephanie Beacham. Stephanie’s credits include the hit television series Tenko, Bad Girls and The Colbys but she is perhaps best remembered for playing the role of Sable in the hit US TV series Dynasty.

Gary Wilmot, a firm favourite with Hippodrome audiences, will be marking his first performance as pantomime Dame. Gary played the role of Buttons in the 1995 production of Cinderella at the Hippodrome, Caractacus Potts in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang in the West End and Birmingham and starred in the hit productions of The Goodbye Girl and Me and My Girl. He rose to fame on ITV’s New Faces and went on to present numerous television shows including Showstoppers.

Following his popular appearance in Robin Hood at the Hippodrome in 2008 the hilarious ventriloquist Paul Zerdin returns to play the role of Muddles.

Paul, star of the Royal Variety Performance and Comedy Rocks will be bringing along a few of his friends including the cheeky and loveable Sam!

Comedian Matt Slack, who has appeared in productions such as Hot Flush!, Boogie Nights the 70s Musical as well as Blood Brothers in the West End, will play the role of Oddjob.

At the pantomime launch it was announced that Over The Rainbow winner Danielle Hope will play the role of Snow White. The win secured Danielle the lead role of Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz at the London Palladium, after which she went on to play Éponine in Les Misérables.

Michael Harrison, managing director of Qdos Entertainment’s pantomime division and director of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs said at the launch: “I’m thrilled and delighted to have assembled this galaxy of stars for this year’s spectacular Birmingham Hippodrome pantomime. It’s a long time since Snow White was last performed at the theatre and it seems fitting that its return as Britain’s biggest pantomime should feature such an incredible cast. This brand-new production is set to be the most spectacular Birmingham has ever seen.”

Stuart Griffiths, the Hippodrome’s chief executive, added: “Birmingham Hippodrome has a long-standing reputation as the venue for the UK’s premiere pantomime, attracting the largest audience anywhere in the world. We are delighted that this year’s production features one of the most star-studded pantomime casts the theatre has had.”

AJW