River City’s Scott Fletcher

The River City and Gary: Tank Commander favourite, starring as roguish Lampwick in Pinocchio, spills the beans on life as a panto performer

How does it feel to be in the Pavilion’s panto?

I’ve wanted to be part of it for a long time. Although it’s my first time at the Pavilion, I’ve been all over the place doing panto – I’ve been at The King’s and The Tron in Glasgow, in Aberdeen, and Dundee last year. I have two kids, so it’s nice to be able to go home each evening and get a cuddle from them.

What makes this one so special? There are four of us from River City in this, so it’s good to be working with them, especially Stephen (Purdon, who plays Shellsuit Bob in the soap). I work closely with him on screen, so we’ve developed what’s almost a shorthand over the past six years. What did being offered the River City job mean to you?

I was going to pack the whole thing in before that role came along, because my partner and I had just bought a flat and I hadn’t worked in nearly a year. I was fed up being skint. I was just about to call my agent and tell him I was going to become a drama teacher when this part came up. I’d auditioned for another role in the show a year before and hadn’t got it, but then I was offered the part of Angus. I love it.

Will Gary: Tank Commander ever come back?

I would love to do it again. It was great fun. We worked from 5.30am to 9pm and laughed constantly. Some of those days of filming are the happiest of my career.

How did you become involved in acting?

My brother was interested and my auntie came in one day with an advert for the Apollo Players theatre group, who were looking for kids for a new production. I followed him into the audition and we both got parts. I was only four. I did wee TV jobs in school and then went on to drama school. Who are you playing in The Magical Adventures Of Pinocchio?

I’m Lampwick, Geppetto’s apprentice puppet-maker and a cheeky chappy who’s always chasing a relationship with the fairy. In the beginning, I have a rivalry with Pinocchio.

Why does panto remain so popular?

Every panto, no matter which town is hosting it, is tailor-made for that particular audience, so I think the crowd has a sense of ownership over it and they like to hear jokes about where they’re from. It’s usually the first, and sometimes only, experience of theatre that kids have.

I almost packed it in – I was fed up being skint