³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ

The nation's children have front-row seats at the most exclusive pantomime in town as CBeebies' much-loved presenters team up for a festive feast of thigh-slapping panto antics in CBeebies Christmas Panto 2010: Aladdin.

Filmed at ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Television Centre in front of a studio audience, get ready to boo and hiss as naughty Abanazar tries to find the Magic CBeebies Lamp. Will his dastardly plans ruin Christmas or will Aladdin make the right wishes?

It's panto pandemonium as CBeebies' multi-talented stars breathe life into the story of Aladdin. CBeebies' legend and double Bafta-winner Justin Fletcher pulls on his bloomers to play Nana Knickerbocker Twanky; I Can Cook's Katy Ashworth and Mister Maker's Phil Gallagher combine their skills to play brothers Aladdin and Wishy Washy; Cerrie Burnell twinkles in a tiara as Princess Jasmine; Andy Day skulks around as meddling magician Abanazar; CBeebies royalty Pui Fan Lee and Chris Jarvis (Show Me, Show Me) don their royal regalia to play the Emperor and Empress; and there are appearances from channel favourites Sidney Sloane, Alex Winters, Nisha Anil (Same Smile), Katrina Bryan (Nina And The Neurons), Jacob Scipio (Kerwizz) and comedy alpacas Nuzzle and Scratch (Neil Sterenberg and Dave Chapman).

"We have an enormous wealth of talent at CBeebies and we're delighted to get all of our stars to twinkle together this Christmas," says the channel's controller Kay Benbow.

"The CBeebies Christmas panto gives us an opportunity to provide traditional pantomime fun for children who might not be able to get to a theatre."

The place is CBeebies Old Town and Nana Knickerbocker Twanky runs the local laundry with the help of her sons Aladdin and Wishy Washy. They're very, very poor but make an honest living cleaning the royal smalls from the nearby palace.

But Aladdin has ideas above his station – he wants to become a famous cook and marry beautiful Princess Jasmine – much to the horror of her parents the Emperor and Empress.

Then Abanazar comes to town and, posing as his long-lost uncle, tricks Aladdin into finding the CBeebies Magic Lamp, only to use it to kidnap Princess Jasmine.

Will Aladdin prove his love for Princess Jasmine, turn nasty Abanazar into jelly and restore Christmas cheer to CBeebies Old Town?

Aladdin and the Magic CBeebies Lamp is written by Iain Lauchlan. The producer is Paul Shuttleworth and the executive producers are Alison Stewart and Ewan Vinnicombe.

FW