Olympic gold medallist and Dancing on Ice head judge Robin Cousins will star in this year's pantomime at the Central Theatre as the evil Fleshcreep.

Joining the former figure skater on stage in Chatham will be CBBC's Hannah-Jane Fox, Hollyoaks star Joe Tracini, West End performer Tracey Penn and panto dame, Ian Mowat.

Preparations are already underway for Jordan Productions' Jack and the Beanstalk which opens on December 8. It is the third year the company have put on the theatre's pantomime and follows a record breaking run in 2015 which saw almost 25,500 watch Beauty and the Beast.

Former competitive figure skater Robin became a national hero when he won his Olympic Gold in 1980, as well as becoming the European Champion that year.

Since then he has starred in, produced, directed and choreographed many international TV ice shows, including The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty on Ice, The Wizard of Oz on Ice, Toy Story on Ice, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Starlight Express on Ice and the movie The Cutting Edge.

He’s also been a regular guest presenter and commentator for BBC Sport for the European and World Figure Skating Championships and the Winter Olympics. Robin is no stranger to the stage either having appeared in Cinderella, Cats and The Rocky Horror Show in the West End as well as numerous pantomimes across the country.

Hannah-Jane, who plays Millie's Mum in the CBBC show Millie Inbetween, is playing Fairy Fuchsia. She also starred in the original production of Ben Elton’s Queen musical We Will Rock You as Scaramouche.

The part of Simple Simon is being played by Hollyoaks star Joe Tracini, the son of comedian Joe Pasquale. The actor, who grew up in Higham and went to school in Rochester, appeared in the Britannia Theatre's pantomime, Dick Whittington, last year.

West End performer Tracey Penn, who most recently starred in Made in Dagenham at London’s Adelphi theatre, will be playing the role of Jack and of course no pantomime is complete without a Dame and this year Ian Mowat will be giving us his Dame Trott.

The show also features a growing beanstalk, blundering 10-foot giant and Clarabelle, the dancing cow.

Jordan Productions started producing the theatre’s pantomimes in 2014 with Aladdin and in 2015 bought Only Fools and Horses star Sue Holderness and The X Factor’s Stevi Ritchie to the Towns.

Jack and the Beanstalk is at the Central Theatre, Chatham from Thursday, December 8 to Saturday, December 31 2016.

Tickets are available on 01634 338338 or online at www.medwayticketslive.co.uk