Sunday, June 23, 2013

Nickelodeon News Round-Up - Issue 4

Below is a selection of articles from around the internet which feature news, commentary and information about Nickelodeon:

Happy Birthday, Nickelodeon Portugal! Nickelodeon Portugal recently celebrated their 8th Birthday on-air, and to celebrate, they shared special photograph below of a recent visit and meet and greet session with Nickelodeon's very own Heroes in a Half Shell - Leonardo, Michelangelo, Raphael and Donatello - on their official Facebook profile page:

Via Facebook.com/NickelodeonPortugal.

Nickelodeon UK Presenter Anna Williamson recently had a bit of a loud shock. On Sunday 16th June 2013, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) flew a Typhoon jet near Hertfordshire and Essex which broke the 768mph sound barrier creating a sonic boom which sparked hundreds of calls to emergency services in Hertfordshire and Essex and comments on Twitter, including the following Tweet (post) from Anna Williamson on her official Twitter feed, @AnnaWilliamsTV:
Just found out the huge BOOM that shook our house & half of the county today was caused by a Typhoon jet's sonic boom. Seriously loud!
Via the HarlowStar.

Edutainment Television - To celebrate the worldwide premiere of Nickelodeon's brand new original live-action comedy series "Sam & Cat" on Nick USA on Saturday 8th June 2013 at 8 p.m. (ET/PT), The Huffington Post recently looked back and listed 10 of the many important life lessons we learned from watching Dan Schneider's hit Nickelodeon sitcom "Drake & Josh"! The article includes photos, quotes and animated GIFs from the series. The Nick comedy show starred Drake Bell as Drake Parker and Josh Peck as Josh Nichols, two teenage boys with opposing personalities who become step-brothers. The series also starred Miranda Cosgrove and their sister, Megan Parker. Via The Huff Post.

Big Time Review - To celebrate Nickelodeon's hit boy band Big Time Rush and Nickelodeon Star Victoria Justice performing at the Susquehanna Bank Center in Camden, New Jersey, on Tuesday 16th July 2013 as part of BTR and VJ's all-new summer tour called "Summer Break Tour", the Philadelphia Inquirer, a morning daily newspaper that serves the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, metropolitan area of the United States, has profiled the Nickelodeon band on their official website, philly.com, as part of a special feature on past and current boy bands. The Summer Break Tour concert at will start at Susquehanna Bank Center at 7:00PM EDT. Via philly.com.

Brooklyn Film Festival Award Winner - Former Nickelodeon star Alex Wolff, who starred in the popular Nickelodeon musical comedy series "The Naked Brothers Band" with his brother, Alex Wolff, has announced in a Tweet (post) on the brothers' shared official Twitter profile page that he won the Best Actor Award for his role as lead character Eli Pettifog in the movie "HairBrained" at the 2013 Brooklyn Film Festival! In the film "HairBrained", when 14-year old genius/outcast Eli Pettifog is rejected from Harvard, he ends up at Ivy League wannabe Whittman College. It's hate at first sight. At Whittman, Eli meets 41- year-old freshman Leo Searly (Brendan Fraser, "The Mummy", "George of the Jungle"). Leo, a gambler whose world has imploded, has dropped out of life to enroll in college. This odd duo becomes unlikely friends. "HairBrained" is written by Sarah Bird, Billy Kent and Adam Wierzbianski (screenplay). Via (@natandalex.

Zee News is reporting the celebrity news that the Australian singer-songwriter, businessman and television personality Peter Andre, the Ambassador of Nickelodeon UK and Fruit Shoot's "Get Your Skills On" campaign, which, part of Nickelodeon's Fruit Shoot Skills Awards 2013 pro-social initiative, aims to give kids across the UK the chance to get active and learn some great new skills, is planning to launch his own Kung Fu schools around Britain to help youngsters learn the martial art and discipline themselves. The 40-year-old singer plans to open almost 500 centres around the UK using his name and image with the help of his son Junior's own trainer. "I'm just about to launch a franchise of Kung fu schools across the country. This is keeping kids off the street and it teaches them discipline. It`s all about that and learning a skill, which brings confidence," thesun.co.uk quoted Andre as saying. The 'Mysterious Girl' singer is looking forward to the project. "We`re going to be doing quite a lot. It`s going to take some time. I can`t wait," he said. Via Zee News Showbiz on India.com and STV Entertainment.

iCarly Word Search Puzzle - Can you find the names of each character from iCarly in Freddie Benson's laptop? Find Carly, Sam, Freddie, Spencer, Gibby, Nevel, T-Bo, and Socko!:
Via Nickelodeon Italy on Facebook - Facebook.com/NickelodeonItalia.

Nickelodeon Alumni News


Izabella Wiley - A+E Networks UK has opened a Warsaw office and hired former Viacom exec Izabella Wiley for the newly created role of general manager for Poland. Wiley will oversee A+E Networks’ brand portfolio within the Polish market, managing relationships with platforms and cable operators across the territory and reporting to A+E Networks UK MD Tom Davidson, effective immediately. She will be charged with driving new business, program and communications initiatives for A+E Networks’ regional portfolio, which includes History and Crime & Investigation Network Polsat. Before joining A+E, Wiley worked at Viacom International Media Networks as general director, managing a portfolio of 13 channels including Comedy Central, Nickelodeon and MTV in Poland. A+E Networks run and operate the channels A&E, Bio., Crime & Investigation Network (CI), History, H2, History en EspaƱol, Lifetime, LMN, Lifetime Real Women, Military History. Via Real Screen.

Rich Ross - The entertainment industry news website Variety profiles Rich Ross, who, six months and a dozen shows later, is settling in comfortably to his role as CEO [chief executive officer] of Shine America. Rich Ross began his career at Nickelodeon, rising to vice president of program enterprises. Via Variety.com

Carol M. Kaplan - Carol M. Kaplan, formerly counsel in the entertainment department of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP in New York, has joined Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp LLP as a partner in the firm's New York office. Kaplan’s roster of theater clients includes first-time and established commercial producers developing and producing new works including major and mini-major studios; content owners licensing rights in proprietary materials including logos, trademarks and franchise properties for exploitation in the live-stage industry; and playwrights, performers, directors, designers and established and first-time Broadway investors. In the film and television field, Kaplan represents independent film and documentary producers, directors, screenwriters and financiers, and has handled talent deals for news anchors, chefs and other personalities. In addition, she has represented licensees of series broadcast rights in other territories. In the print industry, she has represented individual authors in book publishing deals with major as well as independent presses. As part of her entertainment practice, Kaplan also advises not-for-profit theaters on general production, financing and governance matters and has also counseled educational institutions and foundations in connection with numerous transactional and intellectual property matters. At MTV Networks, Kaplan served as senior counsel, Nickelodeon business and legal affairs, from 2004 to 2006. In that capacity, she negotiated agreements and advised the internal client group in connection with development and production contracts for Nickelodeon branded content. Via Bloomberg.com.

New York-based FlickerLab has hired Jordan Geary to head up the creative company’s multiplatform production and development projects and to manage its operations. Prior to his FlickerLab appointment, the veteran producer, director, show-creator, and on-air personality worked on acclaimed kids productions such as "Wonderpets" for Nickelodeon, "Kappa Mikey" for Nicktoons, and "3rd and Bird" for Disney Junior/Cbeebies. Since jumping into his new role, Geary has already taken on game and app development including more than 100 eBook projects for the likes of Barnes & Noble and Penguin, The Hub’s Joy Berry TV series, and Kids Health’s animated series How The Body Works. Since launching in 1999, FlickerLab has produced thousands of hours of animated content across TV, film, eBooks and apps.

Clare Piggott - BBC Worldwide, the commercial arm of the UK public broadcaster, has hired former Mattel and Nickelodeon UK executive Clare Piggott as head of merchandising for the UK. In her new role, she will oversee the licensing strategy in the territory, reporting to Brian Hill, sales director. Piggott joins from The Promotions Factory. While at Nickelodeon UK, Clare Piggott served as VP (Vice President) of Consumer Products. Via TBI Vision.
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Nickelodeon Australia And New Zealand To Start To Premiere "Camp Orange: Spill Seekers" From Tuesday 25th June 2013!

Nickelodeon Australia has announced the exciting Nickelodeon News in the following Press Release (via twitdoc.com) and on their official "Camp Orange" 2013 website, camporange2013.com.au, that Nickelodeon Australia and New Zealand will start to premiere and show this years brand new season of "Camp Orange", season 9, called "Camp Orange: Spill Seekers", from Tuesday 25th June 2013 at 5pm, as part of June and July 2013 on Nickelodeon Australia and New Zealand!

Camp Orange, Nickelodeon's adventure reality show for best friends, is back, and this year, it's bigger, better and tougher than ever before! In "Camp Orange: Spill Seekers", filmed on location at Sea World Gold Coast Australia, Nickelodeon is serving up the adrenaline at Sea World Resort for the most thrill-seeking, spill-seeking, slime-soaked Camp Orange ever!

This years "Camp Orange", "Spill Seekers", will be hosted by Nickelodeon's very own ASTRA Award winning comedic combo Luke & Wyatt (Luke Ryan & Wyatt Nixon-Lloyd), who will lead four teams of bold besties, chosen from thousands of hopefuls across Australia and New Zealand - The Bob Shermans, the girls in purple, featuring Megan, 11 and Lindy-Joy, 11 from New Zealand, The Nick Jaggers, the bright team in yellow, featuring Josh, 12, and Jye, 13 from Queensland, The BubbleGum Besties, the girls in pink, featuring Brooke, 10 and Charlotte, 11, from New South Wales, and The Random Penguins, the boys in blue, featuring Noah, 12 and Josh, 12 from Victoria - through a sea of super soaked adrenaline surging challenges!

Proving they've got guts (and possibly gills), Nickelodeon's Campers will brave depths, speeds, heights and marine creatures as they play for money-can't-buy rewards, such as a starring role in "SpongeBob ParadePants" - the world's very first SpongeBob SquarePants parade performed daily at Sea World. Contestants are also vying for the ultimate title of Champ Orange, awarded to the team that best displays the Camp Orange spirit of friendship and fair play.

For the first time in Camp Orange history, Champ Orange will be decided by Aussie and Kiwi kids who are watching all the action at home. This year, viewers will choose the team that they deem best and fairest to take the honour by casting their vote on www.nickelodeon.com.au. In another Camp Orange first, fans have submitted their recipes in for Wrong Town Dinner, stomach churning dishes which are eaten each night at Camp Fire by a team selected by the Wrong Town Dinner Spinner. Kids at home can also check out behind the scenes and other exclusive added content online, including the very best audition videos.

In the first world premiere episode, in which the Splashtastic adventure begins, Campers are put through an extreme memory test as they learn all about each other in just 20 seconds, zooming around Sea World’s Jet Rescue Coaster at speeds of up to 75km/hr in the Jetting To Know You challenge!

Camp Orange: Spill Seekers is a 6 episode X 30 minute series produced by Nickelodeon Australia.

To celebrate the brand new ninth series of "Camp Orange", Nickelodeon Australia have launched their brand new "Camp Orange: Spill Seekers" website, which is packed full details about "Camp Orange: Spill Seekers", including a "Meet The Teams" section featuring bios about each of the 8 Campers, info about each of this years "Camp Orange" challenges, details on how to vote for your favourite "Camp Orange" "Spill Seekers" team to win "Champ Orange" prizes, including prize packs, exclusive online games and streaming video clips, exclusive competitions to win a brand new Razor E100 electric scooter and Sea World prizes, and a exclusive behind the scenes blog written by Nickelodeon's dynamic duo, Luke and Wyatt, which you can visit here at camporange2013.com.au! Luke and Wyatt have even jumped into the website to give Nick OZ & NZ guys the lowdown on all the amazing Camp Orange Spill Seekers behind the scenes pics, vids and blogs which will be appearing right here at camporange2013.com.au!

Original Nickelodeon Australia Press Release:

CAMP ORANGE RETURNS, SERVING UP THE ADRENALINE AT SEA WORLD CAMPERS TACKLE FASTER, HIGHER AND WILDER CHALLENGES FOR THRILL-SEEKING REWARDS

CAMP ORANGE: SPILL SEEKERS WORLD PREMIERE TUESDAY 25 JUNE AT 5PM

SYDNEY, 5 JUNE 2013 - Nickelodeon's award-winning reality-adventure series Camp Orange returns, splashing into Sea World and Sea World Resort for the most thrill-seeking, spill-seeking, slime-soaked Camp Orange ever, Camp Orange: Spill Seekers!

Premiering Tuesday June 25 at 5pm on Nickelodeon exclusively to Foxtel, ASTRA Award winning comedic combo Luke and Wyatt host four teams of bold besties, chosen from thousands of hopefuls across Australia and New Zealand; The Bob Shermans (NZ) The Nick Jaggers (QLD) The BubbleGum Besties (NSW) and The Random Penguins (VIC) through a sea of super soaked adrenaline surging challenges.

Proving they've got guts (and possibly gills), our Campers will brave depths, speeds, heights and marine creatures as they play for money-can’t-buy rewards, such as a starring role in SpongeBob ParadePants - the world's very first SpongeBob parade performed daily at Sea World. Contestants are also vying for the ultimate title of Champ Orange, awarded to the team that best displays the Camp Orange spirit of friendship and fair play.

For the first time in Camp Orange history, Champ Orange will be decided by Aussie and Kiwi kids who are watching all the action at home. This year, viewers will choose the team that they deem best and fairest to take the honour by casting their vote on www.nickelodeon.com.au. In another Camp Orange first, fans have submitted their recipes in for Wrong Town Dinner, stomach churning dishes which are eaten each night at Camp Fire by a team selected by the Wrong Town Dinner Spinner. Kids at home can also check out behind the scenes and other exclusive added content online, including the very best audition videos.

In the world premiere episode, Campers are put through an extreme memory test as they learn all about each other in just 20 seconds, zooming around Sea World’s Jet Rescue Coaster at speeds of up to 75km/hr in the Jetting To Know You challenge!

Camp Orange: Spill Seekers is a 6X30 minute series produced by Nickelodeon Australia.

[...]

About Camp Orange:

Now in its ninth season, Camp Orange is Nickelodeon Australia’s multiple ASTRA-Award-winning (2008, 2009, 2010) local production. Designed to give kids the ultimate adventure experience, it’s a reality game show which brings best friends together and celebrates kids being kids in the Aussie outdoors. Focusing on positive fair play, teams compete for cool prizes and experiences but are ultimately aiming to be voted for the title of "Champ Orange". The original series has had international success with the format being reproduced in Italy and the UK.

About Nickelodeon Networks:

Now in its 34th year globally and 18th year in Australia, Nickelodeon is the number one entertainment brand for kids and the company has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. Nickelodeon Australia has been named Channel of The Year twice by the ASTRA Awards and won numerous other awards for local productions and digital applications. Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. channels air 24 hours a day, seven days a week and are seen in over 2.3 million households via FOXTEL and FOXTEL Regional. The company portfolio extends across television, online, mobile, theme parks, consumer products and music. Outside of the United States, Nickelodeon is part of Viacom International Media Networks, a division of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), one of the worlds leading creators of programming and content across all platforms. www.nickelodeon.com.au

About Foxtel

Foxtel is one of Australia’s most progressive and dynamic media companies, directly employing around 2,500 people, and delivering a diverse subscription television service to both regional and metropolitan areas over cable, satellite and broadband distribution. We offer a better entertainment experience every day to each one of our 2.3 million subscribing homes through delivery of exclusive and inspiring programming across all genres, the world’s most popular channel brands, and investment in high quality local content. As constant champions of innovation we have brought customers the iQ personal digital recorder, Australia’s largest HD offering, Foxtel 3D, and more recently, the Foxtel Go App for iPad. Foxtel is owned by Telstra Corporation Limited ACN 051 775 556 (50%) and The News Corporation Ltd (50%). foxtel.com.au.

Saturday, June 22, 2013

Nickelodeon USA To Premiere Brand New Comedy Sketch Show "AwesomenessTV" On Monday 1st July 2013

The entertainment industry news website Variety is reporting the exciting Breaking Nickelodeon News in the following article that Nick USA will start to premiere and show Nickelodeon and DreamWorks Animation's brand new series "AwesomenessTV", based on the popular YouTube channel, from Monday 1st July 2013 at 8:00pm (ET/PT), as part of July on Nickelodeon USA 2013!

"AwesomenessTV", hosted by Daniella Monet, who played 'Trina Vega' in Nickelodeon's hit comedy series "Victorious", is a brand new rapid-fire sketch comedy show that will blend new and existing AwesomenessTV content. Segments will include character sketches, celebrity satires and parody music videos.

In a separate article from Video Ink, also below, the ATV Network is encouraging its networkers to submit a sketch comedy video of any kind, after which it will select one to air as part of the series! The article also features AwesomenessTV's submissions request promo/trailer starring Nickelodeon Star Daniella Monet!

Nickelodeon announced their partnership with "AwesomenessTV" for a brand new television show at the networks Nickelodeon Upfront 2013 event in February 2013.

From Variety:
Nick to Transplant AwesomenessTV Clips from YouTube to Cable With July 1 Series Debut

Cabler ordered 13 episodes of comedy show from short-form content producer, now owned by DreamWorks Animation

DreamWorks Animation’s AwesomenessTV will cross over from YouTube to cable TV on July 1, when kid’s cabler Nickelodeon will premiere half-hour comedy show woven from existing Internet clips and new material.

The show, simply titled “AwesomenessTV,” bows Monday, July 1, at 8 p.m. (ET/PT) on Nickelodeon. Viacom net has ordered 13 episodes of the skein.

Nick describes show as a “rapid-fire sketch comedy series” that will blend new and existing AwesomenessTV content. Skein is hosted by Daniella Monet (of Nick’s “Victorious”) with segments that include character sketches, celebrity satires and parody music videos.

Nick was among first TV nets to mine YouTube content, cutting pact with Lucas Cruikshank (“Fred”) for multiple projects. Other YouTube stars that have made boob-tube leap include Annoying Orange, which has Cartoon Network show, and Ray William Johnson, which has script deal with FX.

For AwesomenessTV, YouTube will continue to be the “first window” of distribution, with TV deals like the one with Nick and feature films serving as secondary windows, according to CEO Brian Robbins. AwesomenessTV has garnered more than 1 billion views on YouTube since launching in May 2012.

“The long-term goal is to build audience and own eyeballs over time,” he said. On YouTube, “it might take a little time for ad revenue to catch up. But an eyeball is an eyeball is an eyeball — no matter where it is, on TV or online.”

DreamWorks Animation acquired AwesomenessTV last month for $33 million but pact could be worth as much as $117 million if AwesomenessTV hits certain performance targets.

By 2015, DWA expects to generate about $200 million in "steady state" revenue from TV biz unit but that forecast doesn’t include upside from AwesomenessTV distrib deals, topper Jeffrey Katzenberg told investors last week.
Also, from Video Ink:
AwesomenessTV Gives MCN Members Chance to Be on TV

During Nickelodeon’s upfront presentation to advertisers in February, the kids network announced a deal with AwesomenessTV for a half-hour sketch comedy TV show that would feature a mix of new and existing content from the YouTube channel.

This deal came before DreamWorks Animation’s acquisition of AwesomenessTV, which was announced on the day of the YouTube “Brandcast” event during this year’s Digital Content NewFronts.

This deal also came before AwesomenessTV’s decision to expand from a singular kids/teen-centric YouTube channel to a full-fledged multi-channel network.

Now, Nick has announced that its planned show with AwesomenessTV will debut on the network on July 1, and air weekly on Monday nights for a total of 13 episodes. Hosted by Daniella Monet of the Nick show “Victorious,” the weekly “AwesomenessTV” show will feature a variety of comedy sketches.

The series, we’ve been told, will also feature a video from AwesomenessTV’s growing network of YouTube stars, on top of all the planned new and existing video sketches. The ATV Network is encouraging its networkers to submit a sketch comedy video of any kind, after which it will select one to air as part of the series.

UPDATE: Check out the video below for the contest announcement and instructions for ATV-based creators to submit their videos.



TAGS: AWESOMENESSTV, CONTEST, DANIELLA MONET, MCNS, NICKELODEON, WEB TO TV, YOUTUBE
Also, from C21Media:

Nick adds AwesomenessTV show

Nickelodeon in the US has greenlit a live-action series in collaboration with DreamWorks Animation-owned YouTube youth brand AwesomenessTV.

The 30-minute series begins July 1 and will feature comedy clips mined from the 55,000+ channels that AwesomenessTV operates on the video-sharing website, including sketches, pranks and parodies.

AwesomenessTV has subsequently called upon its many viewers and content creators to produce their own videos and submit them online for a chance to appear on the TV series.

DreamWorks Animation in the US acquired AwesomenessTV, one of YouTube’s most subscribed-to teen channels for US$33m last month.

Last week the company struck a deal with Netflix to give the US video streamer exclusivity on over 300 hours of original series based on some of the studio’s biggest movie franchises.

One of Nickelodeon’s first web-to-TV activities was bringing YouTube star Lucas Cruikshank to the living room with the series Fred, and later casting him in the comedy show Marvin Marvin.

Meanwhile, in related web-to-TV news, Alloy Digital in the US look poised to bring YouTube’s most-subscribed channel, Smosh, to television.

Nico Franks
24-06-2013
©C21Media
Also, from Kidscreen's iKids:
Nickelodeon brings AwesomenessTV to the small screen

After citing plans in its upfront presentation to co-develop content with AwesomenessTV, Nickelodeon has now officially greenlit a 13-episode comedy from the DreamWorks Animation-owned youth online channel.

The new half-hour sketch comedy will premiere on the kidsnet on July 1 and will feature a mix of new and existing YouTube content from AwesomenessTV, which was purchased by DreamWorks last month for a price tag of $US33 million.

The move to cable is becoming an increasingly popular one in the online video space. Last year, Nickelodeon greenlit two live-action series starring Internet star Lucas Cruikshank (Fred: The Show and Marvin Marvin). YouTube sensation Annoying Orange also found a second home on Cartoon Network last year.

Tags: AwesomenessTV, DreamWorks Animation, Nickelodeon, online TV, YouTube

"House of Anubis" Star Brad Kavanagh Hosts Live Twitcam Chat

Nickelodeon Star Brad Kavanagh, who plays the character Fabian Rutter in Nickelodeon's hit mystery drama series "House of Anubis", has announced in a series of Tweets (posts) on his official Twitter profile page (@BradKavanagh) that he will be doing a live TwitCam session, where he'll be talking live to his fans via a streaming video, which you can watch below, NOW (Saturday 22nd June 2013) at 9:00pm BST (GMT+1)!!

Brad Kavanagh has also just announced the Nickelodeon News in his twitcam interview that no-one knows yet if Nickelodeon will make a fourth season of House of Anubis (House of Anubis Season 4).

Friday, June 21, 2013

Nickelodeon UK Presenter Jamie Rickers To Star As 'Buttons' In Sunderland Empire's 2013-2014 Pantomime "Cinderella"

The British regional newspaper the Sunderland Echo has announced in the following article from their official website, sunderlandecho.com, the news that Nickelodeon UK presenter Jamie Rickers (Nickelodeon UK's "Camp Orange", "Jamie's & Anna's Big Weekend", "UPick Summer") will be starring in Sunderland Empire's 2013 pantomime production of "Cinderella" as the character 'Buttons', which will run at the Sunderland Empire in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, in North East England, UK from Friday 13th December 2013 to Sunday 5th January 5 2014.

Tickets, priced from £10 to £25, are available from the Box Office in High Street West, the Ticket Centre on 0844 871 3022 and/or online at www.atgtickets.com/Sunderland.

Jamie's co-presenter, Anna Williamson, will also be starring as 'Cinderella' in a separate production of the famous panto being held at the Churchill Theatre in Bromley, South East London this Christmas holiday season, from Friday 29th November 2013 to Sunday 5th January 2014:
From Loose Women to Fairy Godmother – Coronation Street actress Sherrie Hewson to star in Sunderland Empire panto


editorial image
A LEGEND of Corrie’s cobbled streets is the headline star for this year’s Sunderland Empire panto.

Bosses today revealed the cast for rags-to-riches tale Cinderella.

Loose Women panellist Sherrie Hewson takes the pivotal role as the Fairy Godmother.

The 68-year-old is one of the most respected actresses in the country and has been in the business for more than 40 years.

She began performing at the tender age of four and won an Olivier Award at the age of 15.

Sherrie is best known for her iconic portrayal of Maureen Holdsworth in Coronation Street.

She published her own crime fiction novel The Tannery in 2009, and recently starred as Joyce Temple-Savage in ITV’s hit rated series Benidorm.

A spokesman for the Empire said: “Sherrie is thrilled to be starring in the pantomime and is looking forward to sharing a wonderful Christmas and New Year with everyone in Sunderland.”

The role of Cinderella will be played by Amy Thompson, a familiar face on Channel 5’s Milkshake!

Her theatre credits include Gail in Teachers, Holly in Christmas Crackers, Annie in Wrestling Mad, and Kay in Salt of the Earth.

Unsung hero Buttons will be played by TV presenter Jamie Rickers.

He is the TV face of Nickelodeon in the UK and the eponymous star of Jamie & Anna’s Big Weekend, and summer hit Camp Orange.

He joined Nickelodeon in 2010 after five years hosting CITV’s Toonattik.

The handsome Prince Charming will be played by Owen Thompson, with Bobby Windebank as Dandini, Jamie Morris and Tarot Joseph as the dastardly Ugly Sisters, and the fabulous Shetland Ponies live on stage. Cinderella promises to be a sparkling treat for the whole family and the Empire will be welcoming back Martin Dodd for UK Productions.

As one of the country’s leading producers of musical theatre and pantomime both nationally and internationally, and as the company behind last year’s high-flying pantomime Peter Pan, they promise another high-impact and fun adventure.

Empire press officer Claire Pickersgill said: “We’re delighted Sherrie will be starring in this year’s pantomime.

“Renowned for all of her fantastic TV roles and bubbly and charismatic personality, she’ll make a truly exceptional and enchanting Fairy Godmother.

“And with popular children’s TV stars Jamie and Amy, plus adorable Shetland Ponies, this year’s show is all set to be another fun-filled extravaganza.”

Cinderella runs from Friday, December 13, to Sunday, January 5.

Tickets, priced from £10 to £25, are available from the Box Office in High Street West, the Ticket Centre on 0844 871 3022 or online at www.ATGtickets.com/Sunderland.