A MAGICAL Christmas in Manhatten – who could resist? Not Glen Knott, who has announced plans to step down from Tamworth's main annual pantomime after 20 years, in order to spend time at the festive season pursuing other interests.

One of the town's best-known theatre faces will leave Tamworth Pantomime Company following this year's appearance in Dick Whittington... Oh yes he will!

For the estimated 80,000 pantomime-goers he has delighted and dazzled for the past two decades, Glen's decision to move on will mark a poignant end of an entertaining era.

But Glen says the time has come to let the wealth of talented Tamworth actors step into his stage shoes.

"After 20 years of doing panto in the town, I have decided to step down to give myself a better work life balance," he told us.

"I work full time and teach fitness classes three nights a week and feel I really need a full day off.

"Also I don't want to end up being wheeled onto the stage and Tamworth folk thinking 'gawd, it's him again!'

"I always said I would go at the top and that is what I am doing."

● If you want to catch Glen in his last Tamworth panto performances, Dick Whittington runs from Tuesday, December 9 to Saturday, December 13, with performances at 1.30pm and 7.30pm and a final matinee performance on Sunday, December 14 at 5pm. Tickets, priced £9 and £6, plus a special family ticket, are on sale from Tamworth Tourist Information Centre on 01827 709618 (credit card bookings taken), or visit www.tamworthpantocompany.co.uk for more information.

For an in-depth feature on Glen's career see the November 27 edition of the Tamworth Herald – in the shops now.