Skip to content

Oh yes he is! Nigel Harman is best panto baddie

Louise Parry,Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshireand
Justin Dealey,in High Wycombe
News imageBarry Rivett Hotshots Photography A head and shoulders image of Nigel Harman shows him in a black and red Fleshcreep costume. He wears a black top hat with red braiding and his shiny black coat has a red collar. He has short, dark brown hair with a small moustache and beard and green eyes. He has a head microphone resting on his cheek and is speaking out to the audience.Barry Rivett Hotshots Photography
Nigel Harman won "best villain" for playing the character Fleshcreep in Jack and the Beanstalk

Former EastEnders actor Nigel Harman has scooped the award for best panto villain – despite it being his first pantomime role as an adult.

Harman, 52, won the accolade for his role as Fleshcreep in Jack and the Beanstalk at the Aylesbury Waterside Theatre in Buckinghamshire.

"I'm thrilled – when the nominations came out, I was kind of stunned," he told the BBC after the UK Pantomime Awards in High Wycombe.

"I thought I knew quite a lot about panto – it turns out I know nothing – but it's thriving and long may it continue."

The Panto Icon award went to Lesley Joseph and Brian Conley, who starred with his daughter in Goldilocks at Milton Keynes Theatre.

Meanwhile Hertfordshire's Gary Wilmot won best director for his production of Cinderella at Richmond Theatre in London.

News imageAndrew Billington Brian Conley stands behind a lectern with two small microphones holding both hands in the air and smiling at the audience. He wears a silver coloured suit jacket over a grey V-necked top and has short hair with smart stubble.Andrew Billington
Brian Conley was described as one of the most recognisable figures in panto at the awards

Harman said the cast "were just having a riot" and he "absolutely loved interacting with the audience".

"The crowds are nuts," he added.

As a tradition, the Waterside encourages audiences to bring water guns along to the performances.

"They let me sing and dance and act. I did a dance routine with the cow. I mean, what more do you want in your career?"

He said the award was "a shared kind of achievement, because it doesn't really matter about me".

"The Waterside's a great place to work. We did a good job this year. So it's just a kind of recognition of that, more than anything."

News imageBarry Rivett Hotshots Photography Nigel Harman is in a black and red Fleshcreep costume. His shiny black waistcoat has red braiding and he wears a red shirt underneath with wide sleeves. His top hat is black with red braiding. His hands are on his shoulders in a dance move and he is smiling. He has three dancers on each side of him wearing black costumes with red devil horns.Barry Rivett Hotshots Photography
Harman, pictured with the Aylesbury Waterside cast, last appeared in a panto aged 11

Aylesbury Waterside Theatre director, Chris Hill, said: "We and the producers, UK Productions, are absolutely thrilled to have been recognised with three nominations for last year's Jack and the Beanstalk, and are delighted to see Nigel Harman clinch the accolade for Best Villain.

"We are incredibly proud of our annual panto and grateful to our audiences for their continued support."

Do you have a story suggestion for Beds, Herts or Bucks? Contact us below.

Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.

More on this story