BROOKSIDE star and West End regular Claire Sweeney says, ‘the magic is back’ as she prepares to take on the Theatre Royal stage – with her three-year-old son coming to watch her for the first time.

The 46-year-old actress is playing the part of evil queen Carabosse in the upcoming pantomime Sleeping Beauty in St Helens from Saturday to Sunday, October 29.

She has been performing for more than 30 years, but Claire says she is excited for this performance because for the first time she will be seeing it all through the eyes of her son Jaxon’s eyes.

Claire said: “This is a beautiful, gorgeous, little theatre, it’s a lovely, friendly, happy company and I’m thrilled just to be here.

“I’m good friends with Chantel (manager at the Theatre Royal) and her mum who own the theatre, so I’m thrilled to be coming in their show and also my three-year-old son will finally be able to understand what I do.

“I always saw pantomime as a job but now I’m seeing it through my little boy’s eyes and it’s totally different. The magic is back, which is wonderful – but I don’t know how he’ll react about me being an evil queen.”

Despite several roles on the stage and the screen, Claire is probably best known as Lindsay Corkhill on the hit Liverpool-soap Brookside and is a regular on ITV’s Loose Women.

Her upcoming shows include Benidorm, another pantomime in Liverpool and starring as Irene in the musical show Crazy in Love from December taking over from Caroline Flack.

She added: “I just know that this is going to be one of those jobs where it’s over too quick as we are only doing nine days which is a shame.

“It’s great working as a team it’s a proper team effort there’s no levels of parts we are all here having fun but I do enjoy playing a villain.

“You get to be camp and evil and you always get a good number plus it’s a very glamorous costume as well, you just channel Joan Collins.

“I think people should come along as it’s a really good show, I’ve done panto for so many years and I can tell you there is great talent on this stage. It’s a great way to introduce kids to theatre.”