Corrie enemies to be panto’s ugly sisters
CONNOR McIntyre and Les Dennis played enemies Pat Phelan and Michael Rodwell in gripping scenes that will go down in Coronation Street history - and now they’re preparing to step into outlandish costumes to play the Ugly Sisters in this year’s Manchester pantomime.
Entertainment veteran Les has been in 22 pantomimes, counting his hilarious starring role in Aladdin in the Ricky Gervais dark comedy Extras, in 2005.
But the festive production of Cinderella will be Connor’s first foray into pantoland and we caught up with the pair at their first costume fitting in Manchester.
On Les’s role in Extras, which memorably saw him strip off in his dressing room in front of Ricky’s stunned character Andy Millman, Connor praised: “The other day I watched again the Extras episode. It’s just brilliant. Fabulous.”
Les said: “If we count the Extras pantomime, my tally is 22 pantomimes and my first one was the Stockport Davenport Theatre with Russ Abbot and that taught me a lot.
“I was working with Russ and watching him as a great panto performer.” Les, who has previously starred in panto with a host of stars including the late Cilla Black, Hollywood legend Mickey Rooney and his comedy partner Dustin Gee, had the idea that they should team up to be in panto together in Corrie’s home city while watching last year’s production of Dick Whittington, which starred John Barrowman and The Krankies.
And his wife Claire suggested the pals should play the ugly sisters.
“I remember thinking he’s in the show and he won’t be able to come out because Corrie doesn’t allow you the time out to do panto,” Les told us.
“I texted Michael Harrison one of the geniuses behind Qdos and suggested Phelanmena and Michaela as ugly sisters and there it came about.”
Connor added: “Everybody on social media has said ‘great idea and great casting.’”
Les and Connor have remained great friends since Les’s departure from the cobbles when his character Michael was killed off by Phelan, the villain viewers love to hate, in 2016.
Evil killer Phelan, who is still at large after he appeared to fall to his death from the side of a harbour earlier this year, stood over ailing Michael as he died of a heart attack in shocking scenes that set the wheels in motion for Phelan’s appetite for murder.
Connor and Les used to share a dressing room at Corrie, filmed at Trafford Wharf, and they’ll be sharing again when the duo don their best wigs and colourful dresses to play the dames in Qdos Entertainment’s classic fairytale production at Manchester’s Opera House from December 8 to 30.
Tickets for the panto are on sale now from £12. For more information and booking visit atgtickets.com/Manchester.