Cliffs Pavilion Rylan Clark on his first pantomime role

The beloved broadcaster, presenter and reality TV personality will star as The Spirit of the Beans in this year’s Cliffs Pavilion pantomime Jack and the Beanstalk.

He will join cast members Aaron James, Nic Greenshields, Neal Wright, Toby Miles and Allana Taylor in a revamped retelling of the iconic story that will feature jaw-dropping visual effects.

TV legend, Rylan, will star in this year's panto (Image: Kim Tobin) The star, who rose to national prominence on The X Factor, said that in recent years he has been putting more focus on acting jobs, and suggested it was friend Rob Rinder who convinced him to seize the opportunity:

Speaking exclusively to the Echo, he said: “I came to see Rob in panto last year and he was saying ‘why don’t you do it?’ and I just think that now is the time. It’s home turf, so why not?”

“Over the last year I’ve been doing a bit more acting work, which will become prevalent next year, and I just thought while I’m at it why not head up to Southend and climb a beanstalk,” he added.

The London-born Essex resident has spent many summers in Southend, but it was his most recent visit that made him appreciate the city in a new light.

Veteran panto Dame, Neal Wright is nearing his 20th production (Image: Kim Tobin)
He said: “I’ve just been down to the seafront, which I haven’t been to in years, and I didn’t realise how beautiful it was. I grew up in London, and coming to Southend each year was like a holiday. It was the day out.

“As I got older and moved to Essex, me and my friends would drive up here and go to the beach or Adventure Island.”

His turn in Jack and the Beanstalk won’t be the first time Southend has featured in Rylan’s showbiz career – his Celebrity Big Brother housemate video was filmed at the now-closed Kursaal.

For Rylan, the secret to the enduring success of panto is simple, with the star explaining: “It’s a certain time of year, everyone’s in a good mood and they just want to laugh and have a bit of fun.”

Tickets for Jack and the Beanstalk can be booked at trafalgartickets.com