Former Coronation Street actress Helen Flanagan has secured a prominent role in this year's Christmas pantomime at Liverpool's M&S Bank Arena, playing the evil stepmother in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
The 34-year-old performer will take to the stage from December 12 to 28 in the festive production, marking a significant professional engagement for the actress.
The casting was revealed on Monday through the arena's Instagram account, confirming Flanagan's participation alongside fellow cast members Bippo, Sean Smith, Ellis Lloyd, Andy Brennan and Rebecca Lake.
This pantomime engagement represents a substantial opportunity for Flanagan, who has previously appeared in reality television programmes including I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! and Celebs Go Dating following her departure from the ITV soap opera.
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The lucrative pantomime role arrives at a crucial time for Flanagan, who has been grappling with significant financial pressures following her separation from footballer Scott Sinclair in 2022.
The actress is currently selling her eight-bedroom Bolton property, valued at £1 million, where she has resided with her three children for the past four years. However, it's believed she's had to slash the asking price due to a lukewarm reception.
Earlier this year, Flanagan appeared in court for a driving offence where she disclosed her financial difficulties, stating she was "really struggling at the moment financially" and could only afford to pay her tax and VAT.
She explained to the court that her income from social media had decreased substantially, saying: "I used to earn quite well from it but I haven't done so well the past year."
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The pantomime announcement featured Flanagan dressed in elaborate costume, sporting a sequined red and black gown with black feathered sleeves and a gold and red diamante tiara.
A source told The Sun: "Helen is excited for panto season and can't wait to get into character, she's a brilliant actress and knows how to put on a show."
The source added: "She'll also be pocketing a pretty penny, celebrities and soap stars make good money doing panto and always look forward to it as some extra income."
The arena promoted the production on social media, describing it as "the fairest pantomime in all the land" and encouraging audiences to book tickets for the December performances at The Auditorium.
The pantomime commitment means Flanagan will spend Christmas away from her children - Matilda, nine, Delilah, six, and Charlie, three - as part of her co-parenting arrangement with Sinclair.
She recently told The Sun about the challenges of sharing custody, explaining: "I won't have the kids for Christmas this year.
"It's such hard work because me and Scott, he's from Bath and I live in North Manchester, so we co-parent five hours away."
Flanagan acknowledged the difficulty of being separated from her children during the festive period.
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"I remember the first Christmas, I didn't have the kids... I hated it," she admitted.
She revealed that taking on the pantomime role would serve as "a distraction for me" during the holiday season without her children.