There's no place like home!

:: This article originally appeared on the Express & Star website on December 18th 2008 ::

They say there is no place like home, and one glance around the dressing room of showbiz star Paul Nicholas shows how apt that saying can be.

He may be more than two hours away from his Highgate home in north London, but the legendary performer has taken a bit of everything with him to Wolverhampton.

From the Kellogg’s Cornflakes to the apples, the rows of neatly assembled Christmas cards from his family and enough winter clothing to keep himself set for a while, his home for the next few weeks will be a tiny dressing room at the Grand Theatre.

The 63-year old, who lives a stone’s throw from Arsenal’s Emirates stadium, is starring at the Grand Theatre in the Peter Pan pantomime as the booable Captain Hook.

He admits that he does miss his family when he is away on tour, but his second wife Linzi, aged 59, does not complain when he is away.

His six grown up children have all moved out of the family home, leaving his wife in freedom while he dons the eye catching costume and entertains thousands.

He laughs: “Very rarely, if ever, has my family told me they don’t want me to go. They are probably keen to see the back of me.

“Seriously, I am only 2 hours 20 minutes from my home and I always make sure I travel back on a Sunday and stay until the Monday, before coming back up to Wolverhampton.

“I am staying in a hotel in the city and to be honest, because we have two shows a day there isn’t much time to do much else.

“The dressing room is very small but that is the kind of thing we get used to. The people at the Grand Theatre are great to get along with.

“Performing is what I do and my family understand that, it’s part of who I am. I like being here to be honest, it keeps me busy and the crowds have been superb so far.”

Mr Nicholas has done it all in his career - starred in the West End, appeared on TV dramas including hit BBC sitcom Just Good Friends, directed plays and played in a rock band.

His latest role in Peter Pan has seen him team up with comedy duo The Krankies, something he says he will not be forgetting in a hurry.

He said: “The show opened last week and typically, I probably had the worst cold of all time, it was streaming all down my face.

“But I still went out there and performed, and having people like The Krankies with me helped. They are great comedians, but unlike many duos out there they are not too greedy.

“Some shows I do are supposed to last two hours, but they end up lasting two hours twenty minutes because the comedy actors take it too far.

“The Krankies are not like that. They are very professional and of course very funny. I have to say I get on really well with them.

“I’m over my illness now and looking forward to the shows ahead. The cast are excellent so we are confident of putting on a real performance.”

Mr Nicholas, who was born in Peterborough, also reckons that despite spending so much time at the Grand Theatre, up until now he has seen very little of the actual city.

He said: “Someone has told me that there is an excellent Italian restaurant in the city, so I want to go there.

“I do want to see more - I was driving the other day and reversed around and found myself by the Wolves ground, it looks great. I don’t follow football much but I heard that they were doing well.

“I like it here and the crowds at the actual theatre have been very welcoming, which always helps.”

Peter Pan runs until January 25. Tickets cost between £9.50 and £23.50 and are available from the box office on 01902 429212.