BBC2 has ordered Cinderella: A Comic Relief Pantomime for Christmas starring Olivia Colman.
The virtual panto will have the cast performing from their own homes. Richard Curtis is the exec producer.
Written by the Dawson Brothers, based on an original script by Ben Crocker, Cinderella: A Comic Relief Pantomime for Christmas (1×60) will be a retelling of the panto classic, with a star-studded cast assembling online.
The cast includes Guz Khan (Man Like Mobeen, Four Weddings and a Funeral) as Buttons, Tom Hollander (Rev, Us, The Night Manager) as Baron Hardup, Helena Bonham Carter (The King’s Speech, The Crown, Harry Potter) as Lady Devilia, Anya Taylor-Joy (The Queen’s Gambit, Emma) as Cinderella, Rege-Jean Page (Roots, Bridgerton) as Prince Charming, Jimmy Akingbola (Rev, In the Long Run) as Dandini and actual real life sister and brother Daisy May and Charlie Cooper (This Country) as The Evil Step Sisters.
Artist Quentin Blake has created a host of original hand drawn illustrations, helping bring the panto to life.
Patrick Holland, Controller of BBC Two said: “This is a unique surprise at the end of a year when we all need cheering up. Thank you so much to Richard Curtis and the team at Comic Relief for assembling such a stellar cast to deliver us a pantomime to remember.”
Richard Curtis, Executive Producer and Founder of Comic Relief said: ”We’re hugely grateful to BBC Two and the amazing cast for allowing us to do our first ever pantomime. It’ll be very funny and merry – and also a great seasonal opportunity to raise crucial funds for the projects that will help the most vulnerable people, at home and abroad – especially now when Covid has made things harder than ever for many.”
Cinderella: A Comic Relief Pantomime for Christmas will be broadcast on BBC Two on Thursday 24 December at 8.15pm and will also be available on BBC iPlayer.
Cinderella: A Comic Relief Pantomime for Christmas (1×60) is a Crook Production for BBC Two and was commissioned by Patrick Holland, Controller BBC Two and Jo Wallace, Acting Controller Entertainment Commissioning. The Executive Producers for Crook Productions are Matt Crook, Richard Curtis and Colin Hopkins. The Director is Matt Lipsey. The Commissioning Editor for the BBC is Katie Taylor.
Jon Creamer
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