STRICTLY Come Dancing's Mr Nasty will be stepping into the high-heeled shoes of the Wicked Queen later this year when Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs comes to Llandudno.
The Pioneer talked to the accomplished choreographer about returning to the town and what audiences can expect from his panto villain.
Are you looking forward to coming to Llandudno?
The last thing I did in Llandudno is the Danny La Rue show, and that was my last performance before I went to join the touring company of Cats before I then went into the West End with it. That was my last sort of experience here in the theatre.
And it's sort of cool I get to do a panto here exactly 20 years after - it'll be 20 years almost to the month that I was here so that's really quite weird and sort of bizarre that I've never done panto before as well.
I have performed - before I was in Cats and Miss Saigon, all those sort of shows like Crazy For You; loads of musicals. But I've never done anything quite like this.
Plus it's a wonderful role! I mean the Wicked Queen in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs - you can't get better can you?
You've got a lovely big mirror to work with - and we've got a special mirror this year which is really cool.
We've heard the Magic Mirror is quite something but is shrouded in secrecy. Can you tell us a bit more about it?
It's hilarious - that's all I can say. It made me howl with laughter. I don't know how I'm going to keep a straight face with the mirror. So that will be good fun and poison apples and all sorts of things - I'm very lucky!
And great costumes! There's more where that one today came from which will be great - some of which gets ripped off during my tango.
I'm looking forward to that as well. And doing a nice dance with a handsome prince.
People are going to be watching your dancing closely.
Yes I know! I've danced all my life - it's going to be hilarious - it's something I can actually do!
I think people are always going to want to judge 'oh can you dance'.
Everyone asks me 'I bet you can't even dance'; then why on earth am I a choreographer and why on earth would I be up there judging a dance competition.
It does make me wonder - not that I'm bitter! I'm saving that darling for the Wicked Queen.
Did you jump at the chance of being in a panto?
I was hesitant. I didn't think it was right. I didn't think I could do it. And then I started reading up about pantos. Plus I always thought that pantos belonged in a whole other genre which I didn't understand and I thought 'Well I don't really want to go there'.
I do a lot of arty-farty theatre and lots of high-brow musicals and things like that. And I thought, 'Do I want to get into this panto thing?'
But then I started reading all these wonderful books about pantomime and I thought 'Oh wow - it's brilliant actually!'. And what fun! And then when I was offered the role, it's such a dream role I'd be mad not to do it.
You know, how many people get to have a laugh, put on all these outrageous costumes, wear girly make-up, ear-rings, lipstick and wear fabulous big wigs and go up and down promenades on chariots - not many!
And I thought that's better than sitting behind a desk at a computer.
So I can't complain. Yes I'm going to be nervous - of course I am - I'm sure the nerves will leave me as soon as I get out there and start enjoying it.
Have you had any tips from celebrities?
Yes I have because this year the Wicked Queen is being played by Leticia Dean and I was at Donnie & Marie with her the other night, filming it, and I said 'Hello darling are you doing panto this year?' she said 'Oh yeah I'm playing the Wicked Queen', and I was 'Oh! Snap!'. She was all 'I've done the Wicked Queen like five times'. It was very funny. So she's been giving me pointers.
Are you nervous about being booed?
I get boos! I have twelve million people booing me so I'm sort of slightly used to being booed, though I'm used to being booed for being honest and telling the truth.
I'm not used to be being booed as a character like that so yes, it will be different. And it would be a terrible thing if they didn't boo me wouldn't it?
I could change panto forver with this Wicked Queen! I'm saving up as many wicked lines as I possibly can.
You met the cast for the first time today.
Yes I have! They're really talented - really really talented. And I'm pleased because they've all done panto loads so I've got a fantastic support team company.
And you need that, you really need that. People who know exactly what they're doing. As does Tudor Davies the director. I trust him completely - with my life infact. It's going to be great fun. Plus if things go wrong that's even better isn't it?
Gemma James who plays Snow White said she is a little nervous you might judge her dancing.
Of course I will! I'll be judging darling. I might not say anything.
With filming Strictly Come Dancing at the same time, you have quite a hectic schedule.
I almost thought today I was going to need a helicopter. I literally finish here at the 10:30 show and then have to go and film and then I'm back to do another 10:30 show in the morning.
I think I'll get a sleep car where I can travel overnight up here and try to get as much sleep as I possibly can, go and do the show then go to my hotel and try and recover with a glass of sauvignon blanc.
Are you worried the business might make you even more vicious?
Vicious? No I'm not worried about that, that's what I need. I'm worried about Strictly Come Dancing - I might become the Wicked Queen on that! Now there's a thought!
Strictly Come Dancing is just starting season seven now. Are you surprised by its success?
I am as a matter of fact. I'm surprised it has such an enormous audience. I think the reason it does is because it's the only show actually which doesn't have any lascivious nature to it.
It's family - It's something that everyone of every generation can watch and understand from little kids - like little little ones, toddlers, because of the colour and the movement - to 10 years olds, to teenagers, to mums and dads, to the grannies.
So I think it's just one of those bizarre shows which crosses boundaries. Whereas X-Factor and all those shows are geared towards the teens, who are going to be texting on their phones or running up terrible bills.
It's good, honest, Saturday night, dum-de-de-da-da, entertainment. It's clean honest fun.
Are you worried your fellow judges will come and see you perform?
I hope not! They probably will actually! But Brucie will be able to give me a few pointers I'm sure. I'll ask if he's got a nice line for me as the Wicked Queen. Also Julian Clarey said he'd help me out - he does lots of panto. I've got a very good support group so I can't really... well I don't want to... fail! I'll try very hard not to.
There is a new judge line-up this season. Are you excited about that?
I cannot wait actually. It'll be fresh, we won't know where we're going with it, but that's good! I think it's good to displace sometime. And Arlene's role is going to be fabulous for her on the One show because she gets to be master of the whole production if you like: she can be 'I don't agree with Len because... I don't agree with...' - there's no chit back.
Will you be watching what she says?
Of course I will. I'll be 'What were you saying about me? How DARE you!'
I think it's great. There needs to be someone like that and there isn't someone like that at the moment because no one has ever been in the show and taken out. So I think it's a great show she's been given. I actually would have actually loved to do that - it would be great to go 'Oh no, Len's talking out of his arse'.
It would be hilarious. Because then you can judge the judges, the dancing, the whole show.
Can you enjoy the show while sitting on the panel?
You can't enjoy it. I never enjoy it that one minute 30 because I'm looking for anything that might go wrong or anything good that I can talk about. The worst thing would be to have no opinion.
You can find fault in absolutely everything so I find that kind of easy, it's hard to say what you're going to pick out. That's the problem.
As well as the panto and Strictly you have lots of other TV and stage work on the go.
There's Got Spend Spend Spend. The Hot Mikado is coming up to the Lowry which will be great fun - that's had great reviews. Spend got all five star/four star reviews which is fantastic. It's coming back next year I think and doing a national tour which will be great.
And I'm thinking of trying a new show for next year at the Watermill Theatre so I'm wracking my brains - I've got to cast it before I go to New Zealand.
I do Strictly, doubled up with panto, which finishes here on the 3rd. On the fourth of January we start the rehearsals for the tour, then the Strictly Come Dancing tour happens until the end of Feb. And then March and April I got to New Zealand to do Dancing With The Stars there.
Then I come back to Germany, to do... a cabaret show.
And then I got to the Watermill to do a new musical but then I have to decide amongst that what musical I am going to do, so I'm hoping this week will be full of inspiration for next year.
So is the panto acting as respite from the more serious work?
It's an added pressure! There's a lot of lines in it to learn - I'm sort of freaking out about that. I think it'll all come flooding back to me once I get my thespian hat on again.