It's Steve Royle’s seventh year in panto at Blackpool. So is he fed up of the same old jokes? Not a chance.

IT’S clear that Steve Royle is going to be a handful when he comes on the phone and starts bellowing to an imaginary lackey: “Have you got my M&Ms? I said no blue ones! And this isn’t sparkling water, it’s still!”

He’s joking of course. And the jokes keep on coming all the way through the interview.

So much so that by the end I feel as though I’ve had my very own stand-up show.

This year Steve is playing Mr Smee in Peter Pan, at Blackpool Grand Theatre, alongside CBBC TV presenter Barney Harwood.

“To be honest I was a little bit disappointed when they asked me to play Smee,” said Steve, who lives with his wife and three young children in Chorley.

“When I first got the phone call I thought they were going to ask me to be Peter Pan, as obviously I’ve got eternal youthful good looks — even though I turned 40 last year I still look 13.

“But although I was gutted I thought ‘Go on then, it’s work isn’t it? It gets the kids some presents’.”

The interview took place during a break in rehearsals and Steve was feeling the pressure.

“With me it’s the same problem every year,” he said.

“I’m all right with the juggling bits and the comedy, but when I try to co-ordinate singing with my feet it all goes wrong.

"I could cope with just singing and I could probably cope with just dancing, but ask me to put the two together and it’s a stress.”

After seven years' panto, producers at Blackpool are used to Steve’s ad libbing.

“They’re wise to me now,” he joked.

“When the script does come it just says ‘Steve to fill (five minutes)’ and I cross that out and write ‘10 minutes’.

"Invariably you get the script from the comedian who did the show last year wherever it was, but I don’t like doing the same stuff as anyone else. I like to be a bit different so I re-write.

“I’m in negotiations at the moment trying to crowbar a few Jedward references into the show. I might do a little tribute to them at the start.”

When he’s not in panto, Steve is an actor, writer, comedian, juggler and regular presenter on BBC Radio Lancashire.

He has supported Peter Kay and Dave Spikey many times and has made TV appearances in Phoenix Nights, Max and Paddy, Magnolia and Britain’s Got the Pop-Factor.

Steve is also co-founder of the Slaughterhouse — Live (“Laughter” with an “s”) character comedy nights.

Steve’s favourite thing about performing in panto is getting into the festive spirit and seeing the look of joy on the faces of the children in the audience.

But his least favourite thing is the time he has to spend away from his family at Christmas.

It’s clear that family is very important to Steve.

“I always treat them to a big holiday in January because I only get Christmas Day off,” he said.

“My kids are aged two, four, and six and they love coming to see me perform.

“They’ve no interest whatsoever in their dad but they’re very interested in everyone else.

"The two eldest are really into dancing and they love sitting in my dressing room chatting to the dancers.

"By the end they’d rather be in there than watching the show.

“The eldest is very excited that TV presenter Barney Harwood is in this one.

“She’s a big CBBC fan. Every day during rehearsals I keep getting another instruction to ask him something else.

"I’m a bit worried about her really — are you supposed to be infatuated at the age of six?”

This year’s schedule is the busiest yet, with three performances every Saturday.

“I’ve never done that before,” said Steve. “By the third show I won’t know where I am.

“We’ll get about 45 minutes between shows just to get our heads back into position and then we’ll be going again.

“By the third time I’ll be stood in the wings wondering whether I’ve already done this bit yet or not.”

But Steve reckons this year’s show may just be the best yet.

“Peter Pan is more of a musical than a pantomime,” he said. “People will travel to see it because it appeals to people on a different level.”

l See Steve Royle in Peter Pan at Blackpool Grand Theatre, from tonight and until January 3. For tickets call box office on 01253 290190 or visit www.blackpoolgrand.com