I knew that Director Michael Harrison was making a special trip to Middlesborough last week to meet up with Amazing Interactives, the guys who are producing 3D sequences for the panto. So I caught up with him this morning and here's what he had to say:

The 3D technology has advanced so much since Aladdin a few years ago. The animation is streets ahead and the new sequences are excellent.

There will be two sequences in the show. The first happens when the forest of thorns grows around the palace and the second is a thrilling journey as Muddles and Lady Passionella race back to the palace to rescue Princess Beauty.

I don't want to give too much away but needless to say the effects are fantastic and audiences will be jumping out of their seats with the thrills that this brilliant technology has to offer. It even has a great 3D rollercoaster ride! Better than anything you'd get in a theme park!

Oh and it's great to see Joe and Ray on TV lately. Joe has hosted on the Paul O'Grady show and will shortly be on both Celebrity Mastermind and Celebrity Wipeout and last week Ray was on Alan Titchmarsh and Celebrity Family Fortunes! Panto Rehearsals begin in 5 weeks time! It's all getting very exciting!

It's all go Front of House

Walked into the office at the Hip this morning and noticed my colleague, Dave Hartland, was buried in what I can only describe as lots of pink, fluffy, shiny, flashy things.

What? you may ask. Well, one of the benefits of working in an open plan office is that you get to find out what other departments are doing and Front of House have had the delightful job of choosing some of the pantomime merchandise. It always creates an atomosphere of fun in the office when the flashy wands, head boppers and crystal stars appear and some nice fits of laughter when the most serious of staff go all child like at the mention of a goodie bag. And of course, there's always one member of staff who has to model the lastest tiara - must be the performer in all of us - even in admin!

Dave tells me that he's ordered boxes and boxes of the stuff that will arrive just before Sleeping Beauty first night - it's not even Halloween Dave!

Oh Yes!

A grey Monday in London and there was definitely the smell of pantomime in the air. Stars from the many Qdos pantomimes up and down the country got together to meet one very special star of the small screen.

Yes dear folks, it's been confirmed that after a 13 year advertising-only career, Churchill, the icon of the insurance industry is about to make a dramatic, dynamic, live theatre debut in 22 Christmas productions, right round the UK, in front of an estimated audience of (wait for it) 1.5 million.

Joe Pasquale who headlines Sleeping Beauty this year took time out of his current one man show to meet the famous canine for the first time ahead of the panto's opening on 21 December.

The producers are not saying what role he is going to play but my only hope is that the company bring plenty of pooper scoopers!