Diss Corn Hall pantomime star, Jefferson Parlett, makes appearances on ITV’s This Morning and Heart Radio

A pantomime star, who will perform in Diss next month, has attracted national media attention after being one of the first graduates of a university degree course dedicated to the art form.

Jefferson Parlett will play Simple Simon in The Corn Hall production of Jack and the Beanstalk between December 20 and 29.

His journey to the role has seen him make appearances on BBC Radio 2, Sky News, BBC Spotlight, This Morning and Heart Radio this week.

The 31-year-old said: “Life has been a bit bonkers lately, but it has been great.”

Mr Parlett’s first taste of pantomime was in his hometown, at the Theatre Royal in Plymouth, when he was six years old.

“I saw Gary Wilmot in a production of Dick Whittington there,” he recalled. “He inspired me and that was the moment I realised I wanted to do it for a living.”

Aged nine, he joined Stagecoach Theatre Arts, where he honed his dance, drama and singing skills.

But it was in 2022, and by chance, that he found a new contemporary pantomime masters course at the University of Staffordshire.

“I had a few copies of The Stage, a performing arts newspaper, that I had not read in my room and I thought I should go through them,” he said.

“I picked up the first one and, within the first few pages, there was an advert for the world’s first masters degree in panto. I thought ‘if that is not a sign, I don’t know what is’.”

The course taught the history and techniques of panto, as well as giving Mr Parlett and his fellow students a chance to put on their own production from scratch.

“For me, the best part of the course was that it was run by some of the UK’s biggest pantomime producers, and they gave us such an insight into the industry,” said Mr Parlett.

Having been one of the first graduates of the new course, he contacted BBC Radio Devon – and has been something of a darling of the media industry ever since.

On Friday, he was on the couch on ITV’s This Morning, talking to Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary, while on Monday, he was invited to speak to Amanda Holden on Heart Radio’s Breakfast Show.

“All of this has been surreal,” he said: “This Morning was like sitting with friends, having a coffee and having a good chat.

“And doing the radio with JK and Amanda was such fun.

“I never expected it to get so big, but all the attention enabled me to get spotted for this year’s panto in Diss.”

Ryan Holt, from Spark Life Pantomimes, contacted him and asked him to apply for the role of Simple Simon.

His first role since qualifying will also be special to him for another reason.

“Norfolk is the birthplace of my dad, Mark, and where he grew up,” he said.

“So my dad’s family will get to come and see me, which is unbelievable.”

Being given the role, Mr Parlett said it was a dream come true.

“I think I have been put on this planet to bring joy to people’s lives and who would not want to do panto and make thousands of people’s Christmases?” he said.

“Some may say it is not a real degree, but, for me, pantomime is an institution, a career and an art form that people should embrace.”

Full rehearsals for the pantomime begin at the start of next month and the cast will also be switching on the town’s Christmas lights.

“The whole team have gelled from the beginning and we are very excited to show that when we get on stage,” said Mr Parlett.

“I owe a huge thanks to everyone for making my 25-year-old dream a reality. It’s going to be an unmissable production.