A star-studded cast has coped seamlessly with Windsor’s 80th annual pantomime, despite a switch midway through by Anita Harris from bad fairy to good fairy.

This year’s show Dick Whittington was co-written by Steven Blakeley who is appearing for the tenth consecutive year.

The pantomime features Holby City’s Megan Jones playing Alice Fitzwarren, the love of the young Richard Whittington, with the story revolving around Dick (played by AJ Jenks) and Basil Brush trying to rid London of evil rats led by the rat queen.

One of the countries most popular actresses Anita Harris, renowned for her hit records and work on stage and in the Carry On films, played the Rat Queen at the beginning of the run of shows. She has now been replaced by Anne Hegarty upon her return to the country having been a participant in this years I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here, where she was praised extensively having talked openly about her autism.

Anita Harris is now playing the good Fairy Bowbells leaving Anne to be the evil one.

Other familiar characters in the pantomime include Sarah the Cook played by Steven Blakeley and her idle son Jack played by Kevin Cruise - both Windsor veterans. Mike Read and of course Basil Brush are also well established favourites at Windsor and are being welcomed with delight by audiences every night.

Slough Observer’s Mike Swift went along to the show and loved it.

He said: “I have to say that I have not laughed so much at a panto for years and the audience had a great time during the impressive chaos of The Twelve Days of Christmas and getting soaked by the cast with water rifles whilst getting hit with toilet rolls and sweets by Kevin Cruise.

“Basil Brush dressed as the rat catcher while singing Rat Out of Hell with a stage full of dancing rats was the act that had me in stitches. Take the kids, it is great fun, they’ll love it.”

The show opened on the 23rd November and will end its run on the January 6.