Joe reveals bunions misery in visit to E&S

"Mine are giving me bunions," he says, before whipping his trainers off to show everyone.

"That's why I need new shoes this Christmas."

The pantomime star helped spread a bit of festive cheer when he took a break from his busy schedule to stop off at the Express & Star's Wolverhampton office.

Panto veteran Pasquale, aged 52, is starring as the lovable Muddles in this year's offering at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre.

And the comedian, who was once crowned King of the Jungle, said audiences in the Midlands enjoy a good laugh.

"I always think the further north you go, the funnier the audiences find it," he said.

"In the Midlands, they actually laugh. They've got a good sense of humour.

"That's what panto is all about.

"You can rehearse and rehearse all you like but you never know if it's funny or not until you get the reaction from the audience. It's the audience reaction that makes it."

Pantomime is keeping Pasquale very busy. The six-week run will see him perform two shows almost every day.

He will be joined on stage by former Coronation Street actress Lucy Evans and acclaimed cabaret act Ceri Dupree.

"People who come and see the show can expect two hours of laughter and stupidity to the extreme," he said.

"What's really great about pantomime is that for many children, it's their first experience of the theatre.

"It's their chance to experience live theatre.

"They're so used to playing on video games, look at the grass in this game, look at the sky in this game.

"But if you go outside, there's real grass and a real sky.

"It's important to get children involved in live theatre from a young age."

Sleeping Beauty sees the funnyman hanging upside down 15 ft in the air at one point.

"It's a 21st century panto," he said.

"But panto is great because really it's the same as it was 100 years ago. There's still all the same basics there.

"You can put all the special effects in you'd like but it's the energy that counts."

Pasquale will be heading home after his Christmas Eve show to be with his family.

But he said his busy schedule has left him little time to explore Wolverhampton.

What little spare time he does have between shows, he said, is devoted to trying to find vegetables.

"I'm having a bit of trouble finding vegetables," he said.

"Chips aren't vegetables.

Fans of the comic will also soon see him getting back on the ice for a special all-star edition of Dancing on Ice, as it marks its ninth and final series. He took part in the show earlier this year, voted off in week six after losing the skate off to Keith Chegwin.

Pasquale has been performing in Sleeping Beauty for the past five years.

Yesterday also marked the 119th birthday of the Grand Theatre., with thousands of famous faces treading the boards over that time. Pasquale said the act he would most have liked to have performed with was Charlie Chaplin.