Later this year, Alison Hammond has revealed a thrilling new performance that will take her to Birmingham, where she was born and raised.
The fan favourite from Big Brother, who became well-known on the reality TV programme 20 years ago, has since developed into a sought-after presenter owing to her work on This Morning, where she co-hosts with Dermot O’Leary.
She has subsequently taken on other positions, such as serving as the studio host at the Bafta film awards with main presenter Richard E Grant, but in her new role, she will share the stage with the best actors from the West Midlands.
On Wednesday, the 48-year-old released a promotional image from her casting announcement for the Birmingham Hippodrome’s production of Jack and the Beanstalk on Instagram.
‘Now this is exciting!!! @brumhippodrome have asked if I would like to be in their Panto this year in my home town of Brum. Err let me think ….YES PLEASE !!!,’ she wrote in the caption.
‘I’m so excited to be joining the team in “Jack and the Beanstalk” it’s gonna be a Panto extravaganza 🧚🏾♂️oh yes it is !!!’
https://www.instagram.com/p/CrNbUvFtwvC
She added on Twitter: ‘This is a dream !! Panto in my home down of Birmingham at my favorite theatre Birmingham Hippodrome. My mum would have been thrilled.’
Although the specifics of Alison’s role have not yet been revealed, she will be appearing with local pantomime icon Matt Slack, Doreen Tipton as Doreen the Cow, and Andrew Ryan as the dame.
The star’s colleagues were delighted by the news, with Ruth Langsford responding: ‘Oh yes it is! And I’ll be BEHIND YOU!!! 😂 x x
’Fab – sounds like it’s all over to brum for panto this year xx.’
Her fans were also thrilled too, with one stating: ‘Definitely coming over to see this now 👏’
‘Oh god we have our tickets I’m so excited to see you,’ chimed in another.
‘You and Matt Slack both have great personalities and will work really well together xx.’
This is likely Alison’s theatrical debut, but she has dabbled with acting before thanks to roles in Doctors and the BBC Tracy Beaker spin-off series The Dumping Ground.
Sher follows in the footsteps of Katie Price, who recently revealed she will be appearing in a Liverpool version of Sleeping Beauty as the nasty fairy Carabosse.
When This Morning debated whether or not audience members should sing along at jukebox musicals while professional actors were onstage, Alison recently made headlines by apologising in response to criticism.
The TV celebrity expressed her “devastation” upon learning that singing was discouraged in a chat that theatrical insiders referred to as “incredibly stupid.”
The Bodyguard production they had described was then stopped by a “mini riot,” which resulted to the cancellation of the last ten minutes of the performance when reports surfaced of two ladies disturbing the performance and being pulled from the crowd.
Alison apologised via social media ‘to anyone who I offended especially the incredibly talented theatre performers, who I have the utmost respect for’.
‘I had no idea the level of disruption audiences were causing and tried to make light of the topic on Wednesday’s show, and for that I’m truly sorry.’
She added: ‘I am a great supporter of theatre and the arts and would never sing at the top of my lungs at any performance, I was wrong in what I said and I’ve given this a lot of thought over the past few days and believe I was wrong.
‘On Thursday evening I attended a performance of the GBBO the musical which I absolutely loved and gave a standing ovation, theatre is a magical experience for me and my family.’
She stated that the news from Manchester’s Palace Theatre left her “sick to her stomach” and promised to “do better in the future” before concluding with yet another apology for her opening remarks.
Source My Celebrity Life.
