Channel 4 to follow Gok Wan's stage debut - Oh yes it is!

25 November 2013

This Christmas, Gok Wan will be treading the boards for the first time in pantomime, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, and Channel 4 will be capturing the antics through Oh No He Didn’t! Gok in Panto (w/t). As rehearsals at the legendary Birmingham Hippodrome begin , this sparkly 1x60 Christmas special will follow Gok as he enters a fantasy world of song and dance through his role as the ‘Man in the Mirror’.

With only three weeks to prepare for opening night, the pressure is on Gok as he attempts to fulfil a lifelong dream of becoming a star of the stage. Alongside fellow cast members – stars of stage and screen including John Partridge, Stephanie Beecham, and Gary Wilmot – Gok attempts to learn his lines and master the art of flying through the theatre on a wire under the watchful eye of legendary panto director, Michael Harrison.

The programme will offer an insight into the enchanting world of panto as Gok reveals the behind-the-scenes action. From building the set to creating the costumes, the magic of this Christmas tradition will be revealed. But will the pressure of delivering a solo show-stopping tune and a succession of against-the-clock costume changes prove too much for the fashion expert?

Following Gok as he walks in the footsteps of legends such as Morecombe and Wise - who have trodden the same boards in Birmingham - will be Maverick Television.

Oh No He Didn’t! Gok in Panto (w/t) was ordered by Features commissioner, Nick Hornby, who said of the commission: “The giddy romp of panto is one of the highlights of Christmas for all of us, so we couldn’t resist the chance to follow Gok as he makes his stage debut in one of the greatest productions of the festive season.”

ENDS.

Notes to Editors:

Maverick has created hundreds of hours of award-winning shows for all the major UK broadcasters from their offices in London and Birmingham. The multi-award winning company is the producer of Gok Wan’s How to Look Good Naked and Gok’s Teens, as well as Channel 4’s Embarrassing Bodies.

Michael Harrison heads-up Qdos Entertainment’s pantomime division, which is the largest pantomime producer in the world.