The UK Fan Panto Awards do what they say on the tin - set up last year by Suzy Fisher to celebrate the art-form that is traditional pantomime, they invite nominations in a number of categories from people who have visited one or more of the many fabulous pantomimes staged all over the UK every year, before opening up voting on the short-listed nominees.Lee was enthusiastically nominated in the Leading Man category for his excellent Prince Charming (right), and was in good company on the eventual shortlist, up against Duncan James, John Barrowman, Johnny Wikes, John Partridge and Keith Jack.
It is an indication of the high quality and immense popularity of Cinderella at the New Theatre, Cardiff that he was one of several nominees from the production - alongside Linda Lusardi as Leading Female, Colm Tracey in the Special Recognition category (for stepping into the very generously proportioned shoes of local hero Gareth Thomas while he was struck down with pneumonia) and the theatre itself as Leading Venue.
The leading man category was hotly contested, culminating in a draw when all the votes were counted... so voting was reopened for a day to sort out the man from the boys, so to speak!And the winner was... Lee Mead, as you'll already have deduced from the graphic, left!
Linda Lusardi was also victorious in the Leading Female category, for her glittery, quick-witted and funny Fairy Godmother, and Colm Tracey got the Special Recognition he richly deserved, but sadly the venue and its genuinely lovely staff, many of them volunteers, lost out on this occasion.
First published: 04/02/2015