PANTO baddie David Leonard has added his voice to calls to save York Theatre Royal's famous Christmas show and backed demands to bring back veteran dame Berwick Kaler.

David, who joined the long-running and much-loved York pantomime almost 30 years ago, said: "We would all love to see Berwick back. There is an enormous audience base for this show. We've sold almost 30,000 tickets this year and built up an audience over 40 years, that's two generations."

The actor echoed fears expressed by fellow cast member Suzy Cooper exclusively in The Press yesterday that this might be the panto's last season.

David said: "Reading between the lines, there seems to be a big question mark over whether we will continue.

"Of course, we would all love it – and the public would love it – to see Berwick back."

As revealed in The Press yesterday, Berwick, aged 73, said he wanted to return to the Theatre Royal panto saying retiring was his “biggest mistake”.

The actor stepped down after his 40th panto last year, but returned to write and direct this season's Sleeping Beauty, which runs until January 25.

Berwick said: “I made the biggest mistake saying I was going to retire,” adding: “I want to jump out of my suit and perform.”

However, theatre bosses have refused to comment on the future of Berwick’s role or the panto saying an announcement would be made next month.

David's comments follow those by fellow panto stalwart Suzy Cooper. She said: “We don’t know if we are coming back. Our fear is that this is our last year. It’s hard to go out there singing and dancing knowing the carpet is being pulled from underneath you. We really care about our audiences.”

And she would like Berwick back: “He should be in it – he’s like a tank. There is so much life in the man considering he’s had a double heart bypass a few years ago.”

Tom Bird, executive director of the theatre, said the theatre would be revealing details of the next festive show at the beginning of February.