This year’s Christmas pantomime - Jack and the Beanstalk - is a Giant in every respect!

Welcoming in Jack and the Beanstalk - which opens at Wycombe Swan on Saturday, December 9 until Sunday, December 31 - are a galaxy of stars from the world of showbiz and entertainment.

They include singer of the BRIT award-winning boy band Blue - Simon Webbe (as Jack Trot), Britain’s Got Talent 2012 winner - Ashleigh Butler (as The Princess, along with her highly talented dog Sully), CBeebies star - Chris Jarvis (as Simple Simon – who also produced this year’s panto) and panto dame extraordinaire - Nigel Ellacott (as Dame Trot).

With Ashleigh speaking to Freetime last week, Simon Webbe now chats to Brian Claridge about his successful career as a member of one of the most successful British boy bands – Blue.

When he left school, Simon wanted to be a footballer, however, he felt he had a natural talent for music and learnt a lot from listening to music on the radio.

He got together with Blue in 2001 when Simon’s flatmate Lee Ryan put him forward to be the fourth member of a band that he had formed with his mates Antony and Duncan.

Blue was born and the rest is history! Having sold over ten million records worldwide and 3.3 million albums in the UK, Blue’s assault on the chart included such timeless hits as All Rise, Fly By and One Love.

The band have travelled extensively around the world on tour including all over Scandinavia, Switzerland, Italy, Denmark, Germany, Thailand, Indonesia, China, Singapore and Mongolia, to name but a few.

And what’s his favourite country out of all the ones he’s been to? “England - home sweet home.” he replies.

Between 2005 and 2009, the band took a break, which saw Simon launch a successful solo career. His debut solo album, Sanctuary, went double platinum, with single releases Lay Your Hands and No Worries.

In 2011, Blue reformed to represent the UK at the Eurovision Song Contest, finishing in a respectable eleventh place.

“We were very pleased with our performance and enjoyed playing in Germany” says Simon.

The band have won many awards over the years, including a BRIT and Simon was awarded the MTV Asia Award as a solo performer.

Simon’s career has taken him to the West End; more recently in Stiles and Drewe’s new multi award-winning musical Three Little Pigs, where he played the Wolf. Other credits include Sister Act, alongside Sheila Hancock and Whoopi Goldberg.

Simon’s 20 year old daughter, Alanah, is responsible for Simon’s choreography and will be working on the videos for his new album.

Simon took part in ITV’s I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! The thing he hated most was being watched by hidden TV cameras. “I managed to stick it out and even avoided eating jungle critters which I wasn’t looking forward to.”

There is more to Simon than singing and TV stardom. He is also a music manager, a DJ, and even has his own series of educational DVDs called Simon’s Web, which teaches children about the internet.

In 2014, he was runner-up on BBC1’s Strictly Come Dancing with his professional dance partner, Kristina Rihanoff. “We only had 3 days to learn a routine and it was certainly challenging” says Simon.

“The hardest part was trying to forget the moves from the previous week, and with 12 million people watching your every move each week it’s not easy, however, it was the best thing I have ever done.”

He also competed in BBC’s Celebrity Masterchef alongside Sugarbabe Amelle Berrabah and EastEnders actress Laila Morse.

I ask him if the experience made him a better cook? “I have lived on my own since I was 16 and had to cook for myself during that time, so I wasn’t a complete amateur, however, Masterchef took my cooking to another level as you learn about presentation and how to cook a steak to perfection.

I certainly benefited from the experience” says Simon. More recently, he has been playing the role of Andy in BBC Scotland’s ‘River City’ - the Scottish equivalent of EastEnders.

Simon’s other screen credits include Rollin’ with the Nines and The Truth About Love alongside Jennifer Love Hewitt and Dougray Scott.

He would love to present a TV chat show and also host his own show on radio. With all that he’s achieved so far, it’s only a matter of time!

Qdos Entertainment - the world’s biggest pantomime producer - offers audiences to Jack and the Beanstalk, plenty of laughs and surprises, including magic beans, a giant beanstalk and lots for all the family to enjoy!

Jack and the Beanstalk runs from Sat 9 – Sun 31 December 2017 and tickets are on sale from wycombeswan.co.uk or 01494 512 000.