Ben Faulks, otherwise known as Mr Bloom from children’s television channel CBeebies, will play the Chief of Peking Police in Wolverhampton Grand’s 2016 panto Aladdin.
Faulks, best known as the gardener from Mr Bloom’s Nursery, was nominated in 2011 for a BAFTA for best children’s television presenter. The show received the Royal Television Award for best children’s programme.
As previously announced, Joe McElderry will play Aladdin and Lisa Riley will be the Slave of the Ring. The line-up also includes Doreen Tipton as the Lazy Empress of China and Ian Adams as Widow Twankey.
Chief executive of the Grand Adrian Jackson said, “the addition of Ben to our cast is one that fully ensures our pantomime will delight younger audience members and entertain all ages.”
Aladdin runs from Saturday 10 December until Sunday 22 January 2017.