Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders to join 2026 Palladium pantomime

French and Saunders will play the Ugly Sisters. They join Palladium panto favourites Julian Clary as The Fairy Godfather, Paul Zerdin, Nigel Havers, and Rob Madge.

Comedy duo Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders, better known as French and Saunders, will reunite in the West End for the first time in 17 years in The London Palladium's pantomime Cinderella. Performances begin at the venue 5 December, running through 10 January 2027.

French and Saunders will play the Ugly Sisters. They join Palladium panto favourites Julian Clary as The Fairy Godfather, Paul Zerdin, Nigel Havers, and Rob Madge. Also joining the principal company are Dex Lee (Moulin Rouge! The Musical) as Prince Charming and Hope Dawe (Burlesque, Weird) as Cinderella.

French has appeared twice in Michael Harrison’s productions: first as Queen Dragonella in Snow White (2018/2019) and then as Dame Trot in Jack and the Beanstalk (2022/2023). Jennifer Saunders made her Palladium pantomime debut in the 2023/2024 season of Peter Pan, as Captain Hook.

French and Saunders said: “We have wished to play the Ugly Sisters for so many years, it feels this is the fulfilment of a dream - a dream our hearts made. Watch out. It won’t be pretty.”

The creative team includes set designs by Mark Walters and costume designs by Hugh Durrant, Teresa Nalton and Mike Coltman created especially for The London Palladium, choreography by Karen Bruce, visual special effects by The Twins FX, lighting designs by Ben Cracknell, sound designs by Matt Peploe, and composition and orchestrations by George Dyer.

Check back for Cinderella tickets on LondonTheatre.co.uk

Photo credit: French and Saunders. (Courtesy of production)