THE last time you may have seen Suzanne Shaw at the Grand Opera House in York, boisterous audience members were calling her a slut!

Or rather they were calling her character Janet a slut, as is the custom whenever devotees of The Rocky Horror Show gather to hurl abuse at the prim and preppy, newly engaged Janet Weiss as she undergoes a spectacular transformation to a minx in Richard O'Brien's cult musical.

Suzanne will be spared such insults on her return to York to play the demure Princess Jasmine in Aladdin from tomorrow as a new era for pantomime at the Grand Opera House begins with Three Bears Productions' debut show.

"I've never been in York before at Christmas, so I can only imagine how beautiful it will be," says the 35-year-old actress, singer and television personality from Bury, who rose to fame when winning the TV talent contest Popstars in 2001 and securing a place in the brief-lived group Hear'Say, achieving four top ten singles, including two number ones.

She is delighted to be back in York this winter. "Three Bears Productions approached my agent and asked if I'd like to be in panto in York this Christmas and I thought 'Why not!'. My mum lives in Bridlington, a bit of a trek, but I'll be there for Christmas and it gives me all sorts of opportunities," says mum-of-two Suzanne.

York Press:

Suzanne Shaw's Princess Jasmine and Carl Tracey's Aladdin in Three Bears Productions' Aladdin at Grand Opera House, York. Picture: David Harrison

She is a pantomime regular, but will be breaking new ground in York. "I've been all over the country, generally playing Cinderella [such as in Manchester and Bristol], but also the Genie in Aladdin thee of four years ago [in Richmond] and I was Fairy Godmother in Aylesbury. So this is a new role for me this time; I've never done Princess Jasmine before," she says.

Aladdin will be Suzanne's 11th pantomime. "Panto is totally different from other stage shows. It has a unique style: the direction has to be very specific, the acting is very straight on to the audience, which is very difficult when you're trying to have a dialogue with your love interest but you can't keep it intimate! But the naffer it is, the better it is; the more energy you have, the better it looks; the bigger it is, the more enjoyable it is for everyone."

Suzanne will have her children with her during her time in York. "My routine will be doing the shows and going 'home' to my boys," she says.

Joining Suzanne in Aladdin will be Carl Tracey, from Nick Jr's Go! Go! Go!, where he is "the yellow one with the hat". He will be playing Aladdin, a role that requires him to keep in trim. "It's going to be harder over Christmas when the food is so good," he says. "It will be difficult but I'm in training for the London Marathon next year."

"I'll come for some runs with you," promises Suzanne.

Three Bears Productions presents Aladdin at Grand Opera House, York, from tomorrow to January 1 2017. Box office: 0844 871 3024 or at atgtickets.com/york