A LOVE Island star is set to make her stage debut in a pantomime this Christmas.
Amy Hart, from Worthing, appeared in the 2019 series of the ITV2 show Love Island.
The 28-year-old will appear alongside X-Factor finalist Sean Smith in Jack and The Beanstalk at the Kings Theatre in Southsea, Hampshire.
Amy, who went down in Love Island history books after voluntarily leaving the villa after her romance with Curtis Pritchard fell apart, said it has been a dream of hers to take to the stage.
“I’m really excited to get on stage. I love panto, I see at least two every Christmas,” she said.
“I’ve been like the new kid at school, but they have been so supportive and inclusive towards me.”
Amy will be making her pantomime debut in the role of Princess Jill.
Since Love Island, Amy has also appeared on TV shows including Celebs Go Dating.
Last month, the reality TV star announced she was dating model and entrepreneur Sam Rason.
Panto co-star Sean, who performed with the band Same Difference on The X-Factor, will be taking the title role of Jack.
He said: “Last year it was a real shame we could only have 400 in the audience but hopefully that’s all behind us and we can do it properly.
“It’s going to be awe-inspiring at full capacity, a new level of special.”
The audience for last year’s production was limited to a third of the theatre’s capacity before being halted altogether by Covid-19 lockdown restrictions.
Artistic director and pantomime dame Jack Edwards said this year is going to be “completely different, with everything back to normal, everyone shouting, everyone touching each other”.
“It will be huge buzz,” he said. “With panto, if you don’t have interaction with an audience, then you don’t have a panto.
“Every night you go on there’s always a heckle that we pick up on, and that’s the buzz – it was hard without the interaction. It feels amazing to be back.”
Jack And The Beanstalk will open on November 27 and run until January 2, 2022.
Jack Edwards added that wearing face masks will be voluntary for the audience, while the theatre will continue with deep cleaning.
As well as cancellations of shows, Covid also led to the postponement of a planned £5 million conservation project for the 113-year-old theatre.
The revamp, designed by renowned architect Frank Matcham was on the brink of being launched when the pandemic hit.
Despite being awarded Arts Council funding, the management has been forced to spend more than half of its reserves to cover ongoing costs.
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