I'm Blackpool star Charlotte Dawson and I'm very very excited for panto this year

Charlotte Dawson is taking part in the Pleasure Beach Resort Christmas Panto for the third year in a row - this time playing the villian Abanazar in Aladdin.

Running between November 23 and December 24, mum of two Charlotte - who is currently expecting her third child with fiance Matt Sarsfield - will be joined on stage by a host of other local talents - including soap star Kelsey-Beth Crossley.

Before rehearsals begin for the show, our celebritry report sat down for a chat with Charlotte to find out all about it so see what she had to say below:

How are you feeling about being three weeks away from the start of panto?

“It's very, very exciting. I mean, it's a lot, you know, obviously, trying to juggle mum life, work life, on top of everything. I've not had a chance to look at my script yet. I said this weekend I really need to sit down and have a little look at it but the thing is, there's no point learning your script until you actually get to pantomime, because they end up cutting things out.

“I'm one of them people, me, if I do too much reading, I've got a memory of a fish- I don't know how the hell I can get up and learn lines and actually deliver them every time and never get them wrong. I mean, there's obviously been a couple of slip ups sometimes, but no one ever notices, but I'm one of them people that goes through my lines all the time. I'm just like [going through them] in my head all the time before I go on stage, and everything's perfect, but I just work myself up so much. I think it's just a nerve thing. 

“I'm a different character as well, I think that always helps, because I'm not playing myself. I love playing a bad guy, because I just feel really empowered and really strong. I like, get off on the boos, which is so weird. I really do love being booed at! Everyone would have expected me to have like more of a princess character or a funny character, but the thing is, with a baddy, because it's pantomime, you can be a bit funny with it…, have a bit of a laugh, and that's what I want. So this year, I'm a baddy with a bump, a baddy with a bumpalicious” 

How different do  you think that'll be? 

“Oh my god, it's going to be a lot. I mean, the outfit's gonna have to keep getting bigger and bigger, I need like an expanding outfit! .. I actually have been pregnant before doing pantomime -there must be something in that theatre that makes me pregnant, I swear to god! So the first year I did it, I was pregnant with Jude, but I was only early, I was only in my first trimester, so I didn't have a bump or anything. I was just a bit chunky, but funky. And then obviously, last year, Jude was a little baby, so I was breastfeeding him in the dressing room so I had my titty bangers out, feeding him, going back on stage, pumping… it was crazy, honestly and now this year I'm pregnant, but I'm like, heavily pregnant.”

It sounds like it would be easier doing this pregnant than juggling breastfeeding?! 

“Yeah, possibly and obviously, Jude isn't breastfeeding now as well. He just didn't like the taste anymore because I'm pregnant, the taste changes so he just took himself off the titty banger, he'd had enough, he'd had enough of the udders. He’d milked me dry -thanks Jude- and it's like a conveyor belt, now we're on to the next one. Take one off, on’t next! But athis one is a baby girl, and I've always wanted a baby girl so it’s very, very exciting.”

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So when the panto starts, how far into your pregnancy are you?

“I am five months at the moment, so I'm halfway. When I actually do panto, I’ll be about six- seven months, and then I've literally got two months left.”

Are you regretting signing up for a job that will keep you so busy so far into your pregnancy?

“I love being busy! I mean, I would love a little bit of chill time but there's just no chill time- I was meant to be chilling today and I've ended up working! So I wanted a bit of downtime before pantomime, but it's not going to happen, it's a busy time for everybody at the moment, isn't it? You’ve got Christmas coming up and I've got loads to do, even though I’m prego, I've still got parties to go to -I'm dressing up this weekend as Prego Barbie for Halloween! 

“But I think it's good to keep yourself busy and your mindset busy and I can't wait to do panto with my panto family, because they're just - I don't stop laughing! Which is good because obviously I'm very hormonal at the moment. One minute I'm up there, one minute I'm down there but they will like keep me sane and just keep it fun. I look forward to it every day.” 

Have you met any of your panto colleagues before?

“Yeah, I did it last year with Ashley [Luke Lloyd] and Kels [Kelsey-Beth Crossley], and actually, I've known them for years, I've known them like my whole life. We're actually called the Three Musketeers, me Ashley and Kels, so we're so close and I'm so excited to be reunited with them. We're gonna have so much fun.”

Will you do any after show celebrations with them all?

“We always do! Christmas quiz nights and stuff like that but I'm bitter because I can't drink with them all so I'm fuming I'm going to be like Scrooge on the no-secco!

Well I'm sure you'll be just as fun without!

“Oh yeah, I don't need a drink anyway. I really don't!”

But you've not met Ian Oswald before?

“No, I've not, he’s my partner in crime, apparently so, I'm so excited to meet him.”

Do you think the boys will like seeing you in panto?

“Yes, Noah loves it because the thing is, at the Pleasure Beach, it's only an hour long, so it's perfect for kids that age, you know because they can get a bit restless. So he absolutely loves it, and he watches the whole thing mesmerized he's like, ‘mummy, mummy’. For the first year he was a bit confused and he was getting a bit upset, like, ‘why is Mummy not speaking to me or coming down’? But then he really got into it last year. 

“Then Jude was only a baby but this year he will see me, and he'll be like, ‘mama, mama1’- because he doesn't stop saying mama. So it'll be really, really sweet to see how they are this year and obviously, Noah and Jude are like best friends, little partners in crime so they'll be watching it together and watching their mum on stage together so I think it’ll be really extra special this year.”

How do you think they'll feel about mummy being the villain?

“Well Noah knows because I've always played the bad guy.  I always say to Noah ‘please make sure you boo mummy’ - I know that’s so weird! But he loves it, he gets right into it, he’s like ‘booo!’s but then he comes and cuddles me after and he's like ‘mummy, I didn't want to boo you’. It's so cute. It's so cute.”

How would you encourage people reading this article to buy tickets to see you in panto?

“Oh my God, it is just the best panto ever and I'm not just saying it, I'm not. I know I'm biassed, but it really is. It's perfect timing, it's only one hour 15 minutes sp the kids don't get restless. It's a perfect amount of time and it's like a magical fantasy world, it really is, and it's just so much, so much fun! The outfits are insane. There's feathers, sparkles, glitter, just outrageous outfits that are just incredible. Everything - the set and all the cast are incredible as well.

“And make sure you come and see Chazza! Come on baddy, with a bump- why would you not want to? And also, we always try and get pictures with everyone after as well. So it's that nice intimacy as well, that people are getting. I started that and all the crew were like, ‘Charlotte, we have another show’ and I'm like but I've got to see everyone!” I always try and make sure I see everyone because I know they're all excited, and I just think it's a nice touch.”