Written by the Dawson Brothers, based on an original script by Ben Crocker, Cinderella: A Comic Relief Pantomime For Christmas (1x60) will be a retelling of the timeless panto classic, with a star-studded cast assembling online and giving everyone a very special version of the fairy-tale this Christmas.

Academy Award winning acting royalty Olivia Colman (The Crown, Fleabag, The Favourite) will be making her panto debut as Fairy Godmother and will be joined by all-star cast that includes Guz Khan (Man Like Mobeen, Four Weddings And A Funeral) as Buttons, Tom Hollander (Rev, Us, The Night Manager) as Baron Hardup, Helena Bonham Carter (The King’s Speech, The Crown, Harry Potter) as Lady Devilia, Anya Taylor-Joy (The Queen’s Gambit, Emma) as Cinderella, Rege-Jean Page (Roots, Bridgerton) as Prince Charming, Jimmy Akingbola (Rev, In the Long Run) as Dandini and actual real life sister and brother Daisy May and Charlie Cooper (This Country) as The Evil Step Sisters.

In addition to all this, legendary artist Quentin Blake has created a host of original hand-drawn illustrations, helping bring the panto to life for everyone watching at home.

With surprises and cameos aplenty, including an incredibly famous person wearing an incredibly unconvincing horse costume, this brand new virtual adaptation promises to be the starriest show on TV this Christmas.

And while the public watch, they will also have the opportunity to donate to Comic Relief projects, if they feel able to, that are working to help people living with hunger, struggling with their mental health or feeling lonely or unsafe this Christmas.

Patrick Ho-Ho-Ho-Holland, Controller of BBC Two, says: “This is a unique surprise at the end of a year when we all need cheering up. Thank you so much to Richard Curtis and the team at Comic Relief for assembling such a stellar cast to deliver us a pantomime to remember.”

Richard Curtis, Executive Producer and Founder of Comic Relief, says: ”We’re hugely grateful to BBC Two and the amazing cast for allowing us to do our first ever pantomime. It’ll be very funny and merry - and also a great seasonal opportunity to raise crucial funds for the projects that will help the most vulnerable people, at home and abroad - especially now when Covid has made things harder than ever for many.”

Cinderella: A Comic Relief Pantomime for Christmas will be broadcast on BBC Two on Thursday 24 December at 8.15pm and will also be available on BBC iPlayer.

Cinderella: A Comic Relief Pantomime for Christmas (1x60) is a Crook Production for BBC Two and was commissioned by Patrick Holland, Controller BBC Two and Jo Wallace, Acting Controller Entertainment Commissioning. The Executive Producers for Crook Productions are Matt Crook, Richard Curtis and Colin Hopkins. The Director is Matt Lipsey. The Commissioning Editor for the BBC is Katie Taylor.