AS one seventh of Nineties pop sensation S Club 7, Jon Lee got used to being surrounded by screaming fans.

When he joined the group aged 16, it took his life on a different direction. Before pop beckoned, he was in musical theatre, having started his career aged 12, playing the title role in Oliver! at the London Palladium alongside Jonathan Pryce.

In recent years Jon has returned to theatre, starring in such shows as Les Miserables and Jersey Boys.

This Christmas he's in Bradford, playing Peter Pan in the Alhambra's swashbuckling panto.

"I've been to 'flying school; learning how to do somersaults and back flips in the air!'" says Jon. "It took a bit of getting used to because your instinct is not to do it, but once I got the hang of it I got such a buzz out of it. It's going to be a spectacular show."

Jon will join Alhambra panto stalwart Billy Pearce, singer and actor Darren Day and former Emmerdale star Charlie Hardwick in the show, which combines special effects with traditional elements of pantomime.

"Doing panto is a really magical experience," says Jon. "I played Aladdin and flew out on a magic carpet, the audience loved it. The special effects and technical wizardry in panto now are really impressive, but I think it's important to have traditional aspect too. It's quite an art form, and you have to get it right. Standing there and being funny isn't as easy as it looks. And of course young children believe in everything they see on stage. It's a wonderful introduction to live theatre for children.

"The great thing about Peter Pan is that it's the only panto to stay true to the original story."

This will be Jon's first Christmas away from home, and he's looking forward to spending it up north. "The Alhambra looks beautiful, I've heard great things about it," he says.

In the five years that S Club 7 dominated the pop world, they had Number 1 hits in various countries, including four in the UK and a top 10 billboard chart position in the US. The band had heir own TV show which ran for four seasons and was shown in 110 countries. Over the years the band racked up record sales of over 19 million, and performed for the Queen at her Golden Jubilee celebrations at Buckingham Palace.

The band reunited for a Children in Need performance in 2014, leading to a sell-out UK arena tour last year.

"People came from all over the world," says Jon. "In the Nineties we had eight to 12-year-olds at our shows holding up homemade signs. This time around it was 18 to 20-year-olds holding up iPhones."

Peter Pan runs at the Alhambra from December 17 to January 29. Call (01274) 432000.

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