Crawley Christmas - Karim Zeroual is loving his very first panto

A television presenter and theatre performer best known for anchoring CBBC and reaching the final of Strictly Come Dancing in 2019 and then going on to dance in the Strictly Come Dancing Live Tour, Karim joins the panto cast in The All New Adventures Of Peter Pan from Friday, December 9-Monday, January 2.

“I love the idea of being Peter Pan. If there was a character anywhere that I was going to relate to, it will be Peter Pan. I'm the big kid that has never grown up. I'm the big kid, always have been and alwa ys will be, and I just love the thought of it.

“I have never done panto before and I just thought that it would be so much fun to do after the past couple of years that everybody has had. I've done Strictly and lots of other shows so I just thought it was time to do panto. It came from me and when I got the opportunity I just jumped at the chance. I haven't seen panto for years but I'm always with family at Christmas time and obviously know a lot about panto. I've met the cast and everybody seems really lovely and everybody is just going to make it great fun but I know that I'm going to make it hard for myself. I want to do dancing and tricks and really performing just to show what I can do. And I'm really excited to be bringing my own spin on it. I have not completely thought it all out yet but I just now know I will because of the kind of person I am. I'm a street dancer, I'm a performer, this is the 21st century... you've got to bring something to it, haven't you!

“And I do think Peter Pan is someone that everyone can relate to. Life can be so hard for everyone, so full of trials and tribulations and just all the usual everyday stuff. We just need a bit of escapism and the Peter Pan story is all about that kind of escapism for all ages and for people of all backgrounds. As I'm a bit older now, I know that I'm happy in my life but there are the trials of life, aren’t there, and I do think we all need a bit of Peter Pan. I like that idea of Neverland. It is metaphorical. Everybody has a special place that they go to and you just think of it in that positive way.

“And a million per cent panto is a natural progression for me. It is something that I've always thought about and wanted to do but have never really had the chance to do before now but now it has become real. It is a different art form and I'm so looking forward to it!”

Karim has hosted A Week to Beat the World, been part in the Sport Relief challenge, trekking across the Namibian desert, which aired as a 60-minute documentary on BBC One and starred in both Celebrity Best Home Cook and Celebs Go Dating. He has also appeared on the West End stage in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, The Lion King and Here Come The Boys.

In 2020, he presented BBC Bitesize, educating the nation’s children during lockdown.

Tickets are available at hawth.co.uk or by calling The Hawth Box Office (10am-4pm, Monday to Friday) on 01293 553636.