He and his co-writer Ian Marr have produced an original script telling the real story but adding three characters to make it into a traditional pantomime.

'I believe in telling the story properly as these stories were the greatest stories ever told, they date back hundreds of years,' he said. Chris and Ian have gone back to the original source material, The Brothers Grimm and also had a look at Disney. They have added the Dame, the comic and the Fairy who weren't in the original story but have written their roles to fit in.

'Dame Dolly is beauty consultant to the wicked Queen,' he said. 'The comic is Herbie, the vegetarian huntsman and the Fairy has her own apple orchard from which the wicked Queen steals the apple to poison Snow White.'

He chose his Leading Lady whilst watching the BBC competition to find Nancy for the forthcoming West End production of Oliver.

'My family and I were addicted to I'd Do Anything,' he said. 'As soon as I saw Niamh Perry I knew she'd make a perfect Snow White. She got to the Final and eventually came 5th but as soon as she was voted off I was determined to track her down.'

At the press preview Niamh sang On My Own from Les Miserables and she has a beautiful clear singing voice. She is natural and great fun and will be very popular with Eastbourne audiences.

This is the first time she has visited the town but she said she would feel at home as the place where she lives, Bangor just outside Belfast, is a seaside town as well. She won't be able to get home for Christmas so her parents and older sister are coming to Eastbourne to spend it with her.

'I'd Do Anything was the hardest thing I've ever done and probably will ever do,' she said. 'You had the camera in your face all the time and you had to learn five new songs a week, but it was great fun. Andrew Lloyd Webber was the nicest person ever, a real father figure.'

She has worked with him since the BBC show finished on a workshop and is doing another in October.

'It's for his new show opening next year and it is called Phantom Two – Love Never Dies,' she said. 'It is set 10 years after Phantom of the Opera but I'm not sure how much I am able to say about it.'

She also did Proms in the Park in Belfast followed by Andrew Lloyd Webber's birthday party in Hyde Park singing in front of 33,000 people alongside Elaine Page and HayleyWestenra.

Playing opposite her as the handsome Prince is Stefan Booth who played serial heartbreaker Jamie Nash in Hollyoaks and Sgt Marc Rollins in The Bill. In 2006 he reached the final of Dancing On Ice partnered by Kristina Cousins (now Lenko).

'You are thrown into this at the deep end,' he said 'But it was amazing to work with Torvill and Dean. They mentor you all the way through. I did fall and injure myself several times but it was great fun and you get sucked into the bubble of concentrating on getting your routine right.'

Like Niamh Stefan has not been to Eastbourne before and he hasn't seen much of it yet. A keen motor cyclist he has roared down the promenade on his motor bike.

He has just become a Dad and his family will also be joining him for Christmas.

Back for the fifth year running is Martyn Knight who said Eastbourne has become his second home.

'I have such an affinity to the place,' he said. 'My first introduction to the town was when my mother used to sing on the bandstand with the Royal Engineers who come from Chatham where I live, Sadly she died 11 years ago so she never saw me as Dame.

'I keep coming back so the Eastbourne public can see some real beauty on stage!' he said.

Chris prides himself on hiring the best musicians and also puts the choreography high on his list.

'We have the best Musical Director around Rob Cousens and a live five piece band," he said. "Our choreographer this year is Tara Wilkinson who has just choreographed High School Musical so our pantomime will be like a West End musical.

'People have the bizarre idea that pantomime is for children but it is really for the whole family, young and old.'

Amanda Wilkins

Snow White opens at the Devonshire Park Theatre on December 12th and runs until January 11th 2009. Box Office 01323 412000.