Dawn French to star in London Palladium panto

She will play Dame Trott, Jack's mum in Jack And The Beanstalk, in a £2 million show that will run at London's most famous variety house for five weeks, joining its core Christmas gang: Julian Clary, Paul Zerdin, Nigel Havers and Gary Wilmot.

Tattyfilarious show celebrates Ken Dodd's genius announced

The widow of legendary funnyman Ken Dodd has licensed all theatrical rights to his material -- the ticklish gags, comedy routines, Diddymen scripts and songs that had audiences rolling in the aisles over his six-decade career -- for an undisclosed sum to a top West End producer to create a theatre show about his life. I can reveal that Michael Harrison, who presents the pantomimes at the London Palladium and hit musical The Drifters Girl, among others, licensed the treasure trove of rib-ticklers from Lady Anne Dodd, who married the comedian two days before he died, aged 90, in 2018.

Terry Gilliam finds a welcome in Bath

Gilliam's version of the 1987 show, which reimagines a bunch of Brothers Grimm fairy tales, was to have opened at the Old Vic next April. But staff at the theatre point blank refused to work with Gilliam, a noted director and illustrator, even turning down his offer to design a poster. I can reveal that Gilliam, 80, and his backers have now found a safe haven in the shape of the Theatre Royal, Bath.

Julian Clary and his panto pals still aim for Xmas fun

Julian Clary tried on his new costume for the London Palladium Pantoland spectacular yesterday and declared: 'The show will go on!'

Esther Smith interview

Sitting at the table, watching old sitcoms out of the corner of her eye while having tea with her family, helped Esther Smith develop her comic chops.

Olivia Colman interview

'It's supposed to be true that Anne was in love with Sarah Churchill, and they had a relationship,' Colman told me. 'There were letters, and there was talk at the time.'

Rufus Hound missing from Dirty Rotten Scoundrels

Rufus Hound has been replaced in the West End musical Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. I was given conflicting reasons for his exit.

Helen McCrory on preparing for Tommy Cooper drama

Helen McCrory has been sharpening her comic timing to portray the other woman in the life of comedy legend Tommy Cooper.

Shakespeare - Lenny Henry: A farce to be reckoned with

Lenny Henry is laughing all the way to the National Theatre. The stand-up comic is following up on his triumph playing Shakespeare's Othello by taking on the Bard's The Comedy Of Errors.

Outnumbered's Daniel Roche is just the boy