Bill Ward, veteran of more than 700 appearances in Coronation Street and Emmerdale, is to play Captain Hook in Peter Pan at Derby Arena at Christmas 2019.
Ward, best known as Charlie Stubbs in Coronation Street and James Barton in Emmerdale, is currently playing Hugo and Loco Chanelle in Everybody’s Talking About Jamie at London’s Apollo Theatre.
In 2011, he took the role of Sam Phillips, owner of Sun Records, in Colin Escott and Floyd Mutrux’s Million Dollar Quartet at the Noël Coward Theatre and in 2018 he was in the cast of the tour of Legally Blonde the Musical.
Ward said, “Hook is one of those iconic parts for an actor and I'm really looking forward to playing him. I properly love panto and I’m very much up for the challenge of getting an entire arena to boo me!
“I’m also looking forward to spending Christmas in Derby and having a good look around the city, plus after the last few months of Everybody’s Talking about Jamie in the West End it'll be nice to hang up my heels for Christmas.”
Katrina Bryan from CBeebies’ Nina and the Neurons and Molly and Mack will play Tinker Bell in Peter Pan.
She commented, “I've always loved panto ever since I left drama school. Happily for me, my work with CBeebies—which I absolutely love—has given me a profile across the whole of the UK, meaning I get the opportunity to perform in these bigger pantos.
“Peter Pan is one of my favourite pantos to watch and to perform in. I’m very much looking forward to bringing the special mischief that is Tinker Bell to a venue as spectacular as the Arena. I love working with children and the comedy side of things too, and you can’t beat panto for that.”
Derby LIVE and Little Wolf Entertainment will stage Peter Pan at Derby Arena from Saturday 7 December until Saturday 4 January 2020.