Delia Smith’s Voice Set to Feature in Christmas Pantomime

The voice of renowned cookery expert Delia Smith is slated to be included in an upcoming Christmas pantomime production. Audiences are expected to hear the former Norwich City owner utilize her characteristic “canary” call to portray the character of the Great Spirit of Norwich in Aladdin. This engagement follows Smith’s decision to step down from her position as director of the football club, a role she held for 27 years as a majority shareholder alongside her husband, Michael Wynn-Jones. The 83-year-old expressed her anticipation for the pantomime season to commence at Norwich Theatre Royal on December 7. The theatre clarified that Smith would not make an in-person appearance, as her performance is scheduled to be pre-recorded and played during every show. “Pantomime is such a wonderful tradition and a fantastic opportunity to bring joy and laughter to our community,” Smith said. Despite her subtle involvement, theatre chief executive Stephen Crocker stated that Smith’s character constitutes a “hugely important part of the story.” “Its presence and influence looks after and guides the hero of the story on his journey towards his fame, fortune and happiness,” he said. “As Delia and Michael come to the end of their time as the guiding spirits of Norwich City Football Club, I couldn’t think of a more fun and appropriate way to mark this.” Each year, the theatre donates pantomime tickets to individuals in the community who might otherwise be unable to attend. This year, the donated tickets will be provided to Norwich City FC’s Community Sports Foundation for distribution to families. The Canaries were acquired by Norfolk Holdings, a group led by US businessman Mark Attanasio, earlier in the year. Mr. Attanasio also holds ownership of the Milwaukee Brewers baseball team. For updates on Norfolk news, follow BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram, and X. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not accountable for the content of external websites. Information regarding our approach to external linking is available.