Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield couldn’t contain their laughter as they joined their This Morning co-stars for an innuendo-laden pantomime on Friday.
The pair were transformed into the stunning princess Cinderella and her best friend Buttons as they desperately tried to make it to Prince Charming’s socially-distanced ball.
It was a show that was full of cheeky innuendos and one-liners as Holly and Phillip joked about there being ‘no sign of Dick’ and ‘taking a leak’ in the tongue-in-cheek show.
Dazzling! Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield couldn’t contain their laughter as they joined their This Morning co-stars for an innuendo-laden pantomime on Friday
As Holly and Phil were turned into the fairytale counterparts, the presenter gushed it was the ‘happiest day of her life’ as she donned a beautiful pale blue gown and a silver tiara.
The pair struggled to keep a straight face as they cried out for Dick Whittington (played by Sharon Marshall) with Holly joking: ‘I’ve always wanted to say this… almost 12 o’clock and still no sign of Dick!’
As Dick screamed: ‘Has anyone asked to take a leak?’ Dame Sarah the Cook (Christopher Biggins) was quick to fill his bit with plenty of jokes about sausages, while later in the show Holly quipped the Prince’s ‘balls get bigger every year.’
Naughty! It was a show that was full of cheeky innuendos and one-liners as Holly and Phillip joked about there being ‘no sign of Dick’ and ‘taking a leak’
Terrifying! Acting thespian Joanna Lumley took on the role of the Wicked Stepmother, but briefly forgot she was supposed to be in character
Alison Hammond kicked off the show by transforming into the Fairy Godmother, and introduced a performance by Britain’s Got Talent champion John Courtenay.
The presenter reassured viewers that she’d adhered to COVID-19 travel restrictions during her journey into the studio, declaring that airy godmothers are key workers.’
As Phillip and Holly introduced the show, the presenting duo were rudely interrupted by the Evil Stepmother, who was played by acting thespian Joanna.
Funny: Asking Holly and Phillip if they ‘liked her crown,’ Joanna quickly snapped into character as she vowed to bring an end to the festive fun
For a moment the screen star forget she was supposed to be in character, telling the pair: ‘Well well well, thank you darlings do you like my crown?
‘Ohh wait back in character I am not Joanna Lumley! I am your wicked stepmother, rumour is you are doing a pantomime… if I don’t get to be Cinderella nobody does!’
Holly and Phillip cowered in fear as Joanna vowed there wouldn’t be a festive pantomime while she was around.
Sparkly! Transforming into the Fairy Godmother This Morning’s new Friday presenter Alison Hammond kicked off the show in stellar fashion
Showman: Britain’s Got Talent winner Jon Courtenay kicked off the show with a sensational performance
As Holly and Phil feared whether they could take part in the pantomime without their costumes, their Fairy Godmother swooped in to save the day, calling on the help of The Genie, who was played by Dr Ranj.
Despite the Godmother’s attempts to seek the Genie’s help, he was repeatedly interrupted by video calls from his patients, including Red Riding Hood (Dr Zoe Williams), Widow Twankey (Gyles Brandreth) and Captain Hook (Matthew Wright).
Eventually the Genie managed to conjure up costumes for Holly and Phillip to star in the pantomime.
Holly couldn’t’ contain her excitement as she donned a stunning blue Cinderella dress, squealing: ‘I am holding it in, and trying not to cry.’
The duo journeyed to Dame Sarah’s kitchen, which in a cheeky nod to the new politically correct landscape, she introduced all families of different shapes and sizes before joking: ’10 years ago that used to be just hello boys and girls.’
As Cinderella (Holly) and Buttons (Phillip) travelled to Prince Charming’s socially-distanced ball, they sought the help of Tinkerbell (Lisa Snowdon), Jack from the Beanstalk (Steve Wilson).
Despite repeated attempts by The Wicked Stepmother to thwart their plot, Holly and Phil managed to make it to the ball with the help of Peter Pan (Sheridan Smith).
As she ‘flew’ into the studio, she joked: ‘I was promised if I did the This Morning panto I would get a big entrance but you blew the budget on Joanna Lumley!’ before adding: ‘I went to her evil lair in black forest chateau… it was a piece of cake!’
As they arrived at the ball in a glass carriage, Prince Charming (played by Shane Richie) finally provided Holly with her sought-after glass slipper.
He declared: ‘Most people know me as charming prince charming, I know I missed out on being King Of The Castle, so I thought I’d be Prince of the panto… I’m over the Alfie moon about it… I managed to find your glass slipper, with the help of the fairy godmothers it’ll make its way to you now!’
Holly was then finally reunited with her beloved glass slipper and she and Phil danced the night away to Sheridan’s performance of Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree.
Friday’s show also marked Holly and Phillip’s last before heading off on a Christmas break, with Eamonn and Ruth taking over presenting duties next week.
Last month This Morning confirmed that they were throwing a festive pantomime for viewers, after much of the UK were forced to cancel their own Christmas shows due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The theatre industry has been one of the hardest hit by the pandemic, with many venues still closed or reopening with reduced audiences after being forced to shut their doors in March.
The ‘mash-up’ combined a collection of popular panto classics such as Dick Whittington, Jack and the Beanstalk, Peter Pan, Aladdin and Snow White – to name a few.
Bit of festive fun! Last month This Morning confirmed that they were throwing a festive pantomime for viewers, after much of the UK were forced to cancel their own Christmas shows
Speaking ahead of the fun performance, Joanna said: ‘All of us who appear in front of the audience are painfully aware of the desperate situation of everyone who makes shows and plays happen: the chorus and crowd artists and dancers…
‘And then backstage, choreographers and chorus masters, props and costumes and dressers, and writers… the list goes on and on.
‘To be able to help them in any small way is a privilege and a pleasure; and I am thrilled that we shall be paying tribute to them in this sensational one-off pantomime.
Tragic: The theatre industry has been one of the hardest hit by the pandemic, with many venues still closed or reopening with reduced audiences
‘They don’t get any of the financial help that is being dished out across the country; so we must do our very best for them now when they need us most.’
Sheridan said: ‘The whole theatre and creative industries have been devastated by the virus and lockdown.
‘Hopefully doing this Panto with This Morning will provide some of these people much needed work and give everyone some hope and laughter for better times to come.’
This Morning airs weekdays from 10am on ITV.
Fun: Holly and Phillip kicked off Friday’s This Morning from the studio, which had received a festive panto-themed makeover