Ex-EastEnders star lined up for Xmas panto

Derby LIVE has announced that a former EastEnders actress is to star in the city’s Christmas pantomime this year, tickets for which have now gone on sale.

Rita Simons, who played Roxy Mitchell in the BBC soap, will be taking to the Derby Arena stage as wicked fairy Carabosse in Sleeping Beauty from Friday 10 December 2021 to Saturday 8 January 2022.

Originally planned for 2020, the pandemic meant producers Little Wolf Entertainment and Derby LIVE had to shelve the show for a year.

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As well as television, Rita is no stranger to the stage and the West End following appearances in Everybody’s Talking About Jamie and the UK tour of Legally Blonde.

She will be heading to Derby fresh from her role of Velma in Hairspray at the London Coliseum.

Rita, who in 2018 was a campmate on ITV’s I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here, said: “I’ve always loved doing panto and being allowed to wreak havoc as the baddie is my favourite job!

“I’m looking forward to making an entire arena shout out and boo me and it will also be nice to get to know the city better.”

Tickets for Sleeping Beauty are on sale now from Derby LIVE, with prices ranging from £14.75 to £32.75, depending on the performance.

Tickets can be booked by calling 01332 255800 or click here.