Reality star White Dee joins hospice panto cast
Benefits Street and Big Brother star Deirdre Kelly will star as the Empress of Brum in a Black Country charity pantomime later this year.
TV and radio star Deirdre, more commonly known as White Dee, is joining the cast of Aladdin for Mary Stevens Hospice's panto at Stourbridge Town Hall.
White Dee, who now hosts a radio show on BBC WM, will star alongside hospice panto regulars such as Will Phipps, Wally Wombat and Jessica Brooks for seven shows between November 27 and December 1.
Following on from the success of two sell-out shows in 2018 of Cinderella and the Wizard of Oz, Mary Stevens Hospice will bring Aladdin to the Stourbridge stage to raise vital funds for families relying on the care of the Hagley Road-based hospice. To date, the charity pantomimes have raised more than £35,000 for Mary Stevens Hospice.
Casting for the shows was completed at the end of April through public auditions and rehearsals have already begun for the show.
Amanda Bowen, event organiser, said: "It is not a secret at this point but we love a panto. In particular, we love our panto.
"These shows we put on are so, so much fun and, most importantly, they have already raised tens of thousands of pounds which makes care possible for a family here at the hospice in their hour of greatest need.
"After we sold out three shows of the Wizard of Oz, we put on five shows of Cinderella. Our community sold out all five, and we would absolutely love to think that loads of families would come to see one of our seven shows this winter and enjoy two hours of helpless laughter and escapism.
"We have raised the bar yet again this year and we would love to show our supporters a whole new world."
One of the panto stars, Will Phipps, added: "I don't think it would be unfair to say that when any of us auditioned for the first panto way back in 2017, we couldn't have dreamed how popular the shows would be and just how much money we would be able to raise for such a worthy cause.
"To now be onto our third show and booked into the town hall to do seven performances for our local community is so, so exciting and it's a privilege to continue to be a part of it."
There will be evening shows every day between Wednesday, November 27, and Sunday, December 1 – plus matinee performances on the Saturday and Sunday.
To book tickets, visit www.boroughhalls.co.uk.
