TV's Matt Baker has been practicing his flips and high wire walking as he looks forward to leading the cast at Richmond Theatre's panto.

The famous name from Countryfile, the One Show and a stint on Strictly was a champion gymnast as a youngster and he has developed a second career as an acclaimed panto star.

This year, Matt will leading the cast in circus-themed version of Goldilocks and the Three Bears in Richmond.

He has already made several trips to the town and is clearly looking forward to the festive show, saying: "Richmond Theatre is so beautiful with so much tradition; the place is steeped in it and you feel it when you are there.

"There is such a lovely ambience. It seems to me to be a very welcoming place. And so I am very excited for families to come together and to enjoy the experience.

"We will all just be having fun together and that's what you get from panto.

"I also love the fact that for many of the younger members of the audience, it will be their first experience of theatre. To have that kind of camaraderie and … everything that panto brings, the booing, the cheering and all of that wonderful fun stuff, what a great experience for your first time in the theatre."

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The presenter and TV commentator on gymnastics has spent the summer at the family farm honing his skills on a unicycle, doing back flips, and walking on a wire.

He plays Joey the Clown in the show, which is a new version of the production that was first successfully staged at the London Palladium.

It promises a festive extravaganza 'packed with riotous comedy, extraordinary special effects, and amazing circus tricks not to be missed'.

The Goldilocks' circus is under threat from an evil rival circus owner and, with the help of their madcap circus friends, they're battling to rescue their Big Top from ruin. All seems lost, until three brilliant bears join the gang.

The fantastic Jessica Martin will be playing this year's baddie Countess Von Winklebottom, with esteemed pantomime performer Nigel Ellacott as Dame Betty Barnum. The hilarious Phil Walker joins as Ringo the Ringmaster with Tamara Morgan playing the role of Goldilocks.

Describing the show, Matt said: "It's all this wonderful stuff, because I walk a tightrope. I was a British champion gymnast when I was younger, so all the acrobatic stuff is something I've always loved.

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"And when I was a young lad, actually instead of asking for a mountain bike for Christmas I asked for a unicycle.

"So I was lucky Santa brought me one. It will be quite intense. I'm looking forward to getting fit for it, to be honest with you."

He added: "It's quite a good excuse for a 44-year-old man to be riding a unicycle and tightrope walking."

Matt has even got wife Nicola and children Luke, 13, and Molly, 11, involved.

"We've got a tightrope in the garden, so they walk it as well," he said. "My wife too, without question, will have a go on the tightrope."

Matt credits his appearance in Strictly Come Dancing, where he was runner up some 12 years ago, for making him a better performer.