Craig Revel Horwood’s role in Cinderella will be a ‘dream come true’ at Theatre Royal this Christmas

This festive season, one of the nation’s best-loved entertainers is stepping into the spotlight in Nottingham. Famous dancer, choreographer, and television personality Craig Revel Horwood will bring his signature sparkle and sharp wit to the Theatre Royal’s pantomime, Cinderella from Friday 28 November 2025 to Sunday 4 January 2026.

We caught up with Craig ahead of the show to talk about what makes panto so special, his excitement about performing in Nottingham, and why audiences are in for a truly magical Christmas treat.

Could you tell us a little about your character, Baroness Demonica Hardup?

Baroness Demonica Hardup, name and nature the same, darling! She is hard up, because they’ve run out of money, and that’s why she’s trying to palm her two daughters off onto the Prince. Because without the money they are ruined. Her marriage isn’t a marriage made in heaven, she only married him [Baron Hardup] because of the money, so she doesn’t actually love him. In fact, she’s really conniving, she’s sneaky, and she is demonic.

You are wearing a stunning ensemble right now. Do you have a favourite costume in the show?

I do have a favourite costume. I really love the finale one, that’s amazing, the walk down is just fabulous. I’m really fond of the one I’m wearing now which is green and orange, we love that, and there’s also some quite amazing ‘bustle-ated’ almost Victorian costumes which are gorgeous. It harks back to the Victorian era, and I love those.

What are you most looking forward to about being in Nottingham for panto season this year?

I’m looking forward to mixing with some of the people out on the street. The people that come to the theatre are up for it, they’re really rowdy, and they also come out to have a good time. I’ve got lots of friends here so morning coffees, things like that, lovely dinners out.

How will you balance your time between Strictly Come Dancing and the start of this pantomime season? Will you get any days off?

No, I don’t have any days off! Every day is taken up with something, either Strictly or panto rehearsals. Of course, learning lines is a really important thing.

I’ve got a lot of charity engagements that I have to achieve before I start in panto because once I get into panto, that is my life over [laughs] because I work seven days a week. Sunday, and through the rest of the week up until Friday I’m doing panto, of course, two shows a day, and then I am filming very early on Strictly. Sometimes I’ve got to go in at seven in the morning. It is really tiring but fulfilling.

Are you working on any other projects at the moment, other than Strictly and panto?

Yes, I’m working on a show called Santa - The Visit for Cheltenham Racecourse. That opens on the 19^th of December, so we’re rehearsing in November for two weeks and getting that up and running.

I’m also releasing a new coffee table book called Revelations - Songs Boys Don’t Sing which goes with my one man show which I’m currently writing for next year. That is going on all of April, May, and June. My intention will be to take July and August off, then the whole thing starts again.

Which do you prefer: writing, directing, choreographing, singing, acting, judging …?

My favourite thing is to direct and choreograph. That is my most favourite thing. That’s what I was doing before Strictly, that’s what I’ve been doing during Strictly, and that’s where my passion is.

I’m too old to dance anymore, really, to give it any real welly. I’ve had two hip replacements and, you know, there is a time that one should hang up the dance shoes and I feel like this is it. I’ll do a little bit of dancing in the panto, as much as I can cope with, but I still love it. Even just moving about, doing a little bit of dancing is great.

I love singing as much, but my passion as I say is directing and choreographing. I would like to move into film, if I could, in that way.

TV is, for me, just a Saturday job anyway, and always was. I never anticipated that it would ever last beyond two or three years. It’s gone on for 21 years now and I’m more surprised than anyone!

Have you worked with any of your Cinderella cast mates before, either in panto or elsewhere?

No, this is the first panto season I have done where I know absolutely no-one so for me it’s going to be all new. A lot of the performers this year it’s their first panto so it’s going to be amazing. I love the fact that new life is bred into the whole season in that way and for me it keeps everything fresh. It’s an amazing cast and we’re very lucky to have convinced these amazing West End Wendys and Broadway stars to come and join us.

Will this be the first time you have performed at the Theatre Royal?

No, I did two seasons of Annie, and I managed to do one here. I just remember standing out on the street in my Annie drag with the trams going past!

But I’ve had a lot of my shows come through here that I’ve directed and choreographed [Son of a Preacher Man, NOW That’s What I Call A Musical], so I’m very lucky to return.

Will you have family and friends coming to see you over the festive season?

Yes, I’ve got an entourage of people that want to come and see the panto. I have a lot of friends here as well and one of them, thankfully, runs a hotel so all my friends can go and stay at the hotel which is great. We can meet up after the show, have some dinner, which will be really nice. It’ll be festive but very work-orientated, and for me it’s a good time to be settled in one place and then my friends can come to me.

My family, unfortunately, all live in Australia so none of them can ever come over and see panto. It’s a real shame because I would love them to see the genre because we don’t have that in Australia. I mean there are some places that do put on pantomimes, so people know they exist, but it isn’t as embedded in the culture.

Tell us why people should book to see Cinderella this Christmas?

People should book to see Cinderella here at the Theatre Royal, Nottingham, because it is full of life, it’s full of vitality, it’s a wonderful age-old story about love, about morality, about people.

It’s a very human story, rags to riches, to say it doesn't matter how much money you’ve got in the world, true love finds true love. I think that’s really important, especially nowadays when there’s so much happening in the world. It’s nice to celebrate the nicer side of humanity.

Also, it’s all-singing, all-dancing, all-Broadway, all-West End [laughs]. It’s very glittery, it has amazing singing, dancing, acting, and comedians. It also has the best production values of any show I’ve ever seen. There’s been a lot of money spent on the scenery, and all the costuming, the wigs, the hair, the make-up, the lighting, and the sound. Everything is considered, so for me it’s just a dream come true.

Catch Craig Revel Horwood and a dazzling cast in Cinderella at Nottingham’s Theatre Royal this Christmas. Book your tickets and plan your festive Nottingham adventure here.