Gary's ready to 'Hook'-up again for Wirral panto (From Wirral Globe)

Gary's ready to 'Hook'-up again for Wirral panto

3:17pm Wednesday 19th September 2012 in News By Craig Manning

FORMER Emmerdale star Gary Turner will play Captain Hook again when the pantomime Peter Pan is staged in Wirral later this year.

Gary, who played Carlos Diaz in the ITV soap, will play Peter's dastardly foe at the Floral Pavilion in New Brighton from December 13 - January 6.

Looking forward to reprising the role of Hook, Chester-born Gary told the Globe this afternoon: “This is my eighth time in the role. I just slip into costume and feel myself devoloping a snarl and start being nasty to people. It becomes natural and I love it.

“I try and do something different with the role each time I do it, but I’m not sure what I'll do yet.

“I’m a huge fan of playing it straight, which is a bit difficult because it’s pantomime.

”It’s a different cast every time and so it always ends up being different.

”But there might the odd moment during the production whe something goes a bit awry during the show and you have to react to that"

Looking forward to the show, Gary said: “You will have a fantastic time. You will be moved and you’ll get to boo me.”

In the title role is Jack McMullen, who played Finn Sharkey in BBC drama Waterloo Road and Derek Moran, a presenter on Channel Five children’s programme Milkshake, as Hook’s faithful bumbling sidekick Mr Smee.

On his fellow cast members, Gary continued: “I’ve only met Derek, but the cast is brilliant. Martin the producer is very good at putting people together. It’s the people on stage who can make or break a show.”

Apart from Hollyoaks, Gary’s TV credits also include the evil Nathan Blake in Channel Four's Hollyoaks and roles in Soldier, Soldier and The Bill.

On stage he has played the leads in productions of Macbeth and Orpheus. He also appeared in Michael Morpurgo’s one-man show at the Salisbury Playhouse.

Looking back on career highlights he said: “The proudest moment was the one-man show at the Salisbury Playhouse.

“It is the scariest thing I’ve ever done, because it’s only you talking to the audience.”

On his time in Emmerdale, he said: “I certainly can’t complain. It was quite a while ago now since I left the show, but I loved every minute of it.”

“In a soap opera you’re in people’s room seven days a week. I know that character did come back fleetingly and then went to Alicante to run his brother’s restaurant.

“I keep in touch with the producers and I’m very happy with the way my career is going at the moment, but I don’t think I’ll go back”

Looking to the future he said: “There are two things I want to crack. The first is the West End. I also love to a decent movie, preferably sci-fi.”

Co-star Derek Moran said: “It’s my fourth pantomime, but I love everything about it.

“The role of Smee is a good part for me. I’ve just been told I’ve got to do some acrobatics, which I’ve got mixed feelings about.”

Derek was signed by Warner Brothers as a bandmember in D-Side, which had three top 10 UK singles and a number one album in Japan.

TV performances include appearances on Top Of The Pops, Ministry Of Mayhem and This Morning.

On future plans he said: “I’ve been working in entertainment since I was 11 years old and don’t know anything else. I’d like to do more directing.”

Tickets for the show are from box office on 0151 666 0000 or www.floralpavilion.com