Joan Collins to star in Birmingham panto

She is one of the most glamorous women in showbiz, but Joan Collins will soon be swapping Hollywood for Birmingham to star as Queen Rat in the Hippodrome pantomime.

It will the 76-year-old's panto debut when she stars in Dick Whittington this Christmas. She will be joined on stage by Julian Clary and Nigel Havers, as well as ventriloquist Keith Harris and his duck puppet Orville.

The five-times-married actress, who is best known for her role as the scheming Alexis Carrington on 1980s television series Dynasty, first appeared on the Hippodrome stage in 2004 when she played aristocrat Denise Darvel in the drama Full Circle.

Hippodrome chief executive Stuart Griffiths said: "It is very exciting to confirm such a star-studded pantomime cast.

"Birmingham audiences really love the pantos and this is a real coup for the city. The news will be greeted with huge anticipation."

Thousands of people have already bought seats for the show before the cast was even announced. Another surge was expected today.

Michael Harrison, managing direction of the producers Qdos Entertainment added: "We are delighted the 53rd annual panto at the Hippodrome will have such a fantastic line up of stars."

In recent years Joan has made a string of guest appearances on television. In 2005 she joined the risque ITV drama Footballers' Wives as a glamorous magazine mogul named Eva de Wolffe.

She also guest-starred in the BBC series Hotel Babylon in 2006 as a lonely aristocrat desperate for romance and last year appeared in Agatha Christie's They Do It With Mirrors as a friend of Miss Marple.

She also announced in January that she was joining the German soap opera Verbotene Liebe for a short run to play an aristocrat named Lady Joan.

Dick Whittington runs from December 18 to January 30.

For tickets call 0844 338 5000 or see www.birminghamhippodrome.com