Pop star and actor Lee Ryan has bounced back from his untimely Strictly exit and is ready to give the people of Wimbledon a panto to remember.
Lee Ryan first came to the public’s attention in the early noughties as one quarter of the multi-million, record-selling boy band Blue. And like so many before him (and since), Lee found the sea of squeaky-clean stardom a hard one to navigate and as record sales fell, so his notoriety as a hell raiser and womaniser rose.
But after a series of reality show calamities – he walked off the set of Hell’s Kitchen after arguing with chef and host Marco Pierre White, and was voted off Celebrity Big Brother 13 after indulging in not one but two liaisons with fellow housemates - it looked like Lee may have struck gold as one of the contestants on Strictly Come Dancing 2018.
Yet despite impressing the judges in week one, he became the second celebrity to leave. But Lee is not bitter and is just pleased to have been part of the show, saying: “There’s so much love in everyone it’s been a memory that I will treasure for the rest of my life, I really will.”
However, Stritctly’s loss is the New Wimbeldon Theatre’s gain as the 35-year-old is taking to the stage alongside Have I Got News for You stalwart Paul Merton and comedy magician Pete Firman for this year’s pantomime, Aladdin.
“Our production is going to have everything. We’ve got special effects, flying, 3D, a magic lamp, the magic carpet, a live orchestra, everything anyone would want from pantomime,” he enthuses. “I’m a big, big fan of Paul Merton, who is playing my mum and Pete who is playing my brother. He is hilarious and we’re going to have a lot of fun. I’ll be doing a few musical numbers and probably use some of the dance moves I learnt on Strictly.”
Lee, originally from Chatham in Kent, has been performing all his life and attended the prestigious Sylvia Young Theatre School as a teenager. But as with many thesps, panto was the place they first felt the lure of the greasepaint.
“My mum always took my sister and I when we were kids and I’ve made sure I’ve kept that tradition alive in my family too. It’s so important. It starts a love affair with live theatre and entertainment that will hopefully last a lifetime.”
As a father of two, Lee admits that working so hard over the Christmas period can be challenging when it comes to balancing dad duties with show commitments. “I’m just hoping I’ll get to sleep,” he laughs. “We’re working two shows a day apart from Christmas Day so I’ll head straight home after the show on Christmas Eve, try and have a lie in and spend the day with my family. As I’m working all over Christmas I’m hoping it gets me out of doing the cooking.
“Christmas is about family isn’t it? That’s what Christmas should be about. As long as I see them I’m happy. We don’t have any major traditions in my family but I’m making sure that coming to see me in pantomime will be one of them. My kids are young enough to not find me embarrassing just yet so I’m going to make use of it while I still can.”
And of course, I couldn’t let this Aladdin go without finding out what he would wish for should he be given his own magic lamp: “I’d want health and happiness for my family; I’d want the panto to be a huge success, and I’d want more dancing lessons for 2019.”
Aladdin is at The New Wimbledon Theatre from Dec 8- Jan 6. Visit: atgtickets.com
