CORONATION Street actor Bruno Langley, the soap’s first gay character, Todd Grimshaw, is to star in Halton Council’s panto.

He will play the lead role in Jack and the Beanstalk, opposite Camille Mesnart from Andrew Lloyd Weber’s TV search for Dorthy in ‘Over The Rainbow’.

Brookside’s Sarah White will join them.

The panto runs at The Brindley in Runcorn, from December 14 to January 13.

Bruno will be in Widnes Market on Friday, October 26, to promote the festive show.

Bruno, who studied at North Cheshire Theatre College, said: "I studied drama in Cheshire and it gives me great pleasure to be returning here for panto.

“I can't wait to meet the rest of the cast and get stuck in."

He appeared in Coronation Street from 2001 to 2004, and returned for 12 episodes in 2007.

Since leaving the soap, he has played Adam Mitchell in the 2005 series of Doctor Who with Christopher Eccleston and Billie Piper,and appeared in two episodes of "Dalek" and "The Long Game".

He featured in the film The League of Gentlemen's Apocalypse, an episode of Dalziel and Pascoe, and read Horace, a children's story for BBC Radio 7.

He has performed in various stage productions, including starring as Romeo in Romeo and Juliet, opposite ex-soap actress, Scarlett Alice.

He is currently touring the UK with Agatha Christie’s ‘The Mousetrap’.

Panto tickets are now on sale at the box office on 0151 907 8360 or online at www.thebrindley.org.uk