Christmas came early to the Llandudno promenade when Venue Cymru held its Peter Pan Pantomime launch yesetrday (Tuesday).

Former Coronation Street star Ryan Thomas will swap his current TV home of Bear Grylls’ 'Celebrity Island' for adventures in Neverland as he stars in the panto as Peter Pan’s nemesis, Captain Hook.

This is the actor's second pantomime appearance, having played Prince Charming in Cinderella at the Wyvern Theatre in Swindon last year.

He said: “It was a lovely experience for me, never donning it before.

“But this part is really exciting for me. Ii is a part that you can really get your teeth in to. You can play around with it a bit more.

“I want to get a little bit creative with it, be a little bit different from who I am.

“I think you’re going to find a lot of fun, a lot of excitement but I’m going to make sure everyone is booing me.

“For the first time in my life I want to be booed – loudly! I can’t believe that.

It’s crazy when you say that – when you come on stage and be booed and have a real excitement and buzz around that feeling, which I don’t think anyone else can ever have. It’s an incredible feeling that when I come on stage I’m going to be booed and I’m going to love it.”

Captain Hook’s right hand man, or in this case woman, Mrs Smee – the matriarch of the Jolly Roger – will be played by Llandudno dame-in-residence North Wales actor Andy Jones.

“I am excited to see a theatre and be on that stage and be a part of that whole experience,” said Ryan.

Peter Pan is at Venue Cymru from December 9 to December 31. For tickets visit www.venuecymru.co.uk or telephone the box office on 01492 872 000.