

Lesley Joseph
2025
winner

"I love pantomime, its serious,
its funny, its magical and it tells a story," Lesley




Lesley Diana Joseph (born 14 October 1945) is an English actress and broadcaster, whose career on stage and screen spans over fifty years. She is best known for playing Dorien Green in the television sitcom Birds of a Feather from 1989 to 1998 and again from 2014 to 2020. Other television credits include Absurd Person Singular (1985) and Night and Day (2001–2003).
Her stage roles include UK touring productions of Thoroughly Modern Millie (2005), Calendar Girls (2011) and Annie (2015). In 2018, she was nominated for the Olivier Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Musical, for the original West End production of Young Frankenstein. Lesley has been entertaining panto audiences now for over
and now it's time to celebrate her achievements by adding her to the PANTO ARCHIVE HALL OF FAME!



A NOTE FROM GARY L JOHNSON
What can we say about Lesley Joseph - like many of you my first introduction to Lesley
was seeing her as a young child in BIRDS OF A FEATHER. I remember saying she used to
be the crazy lady who "popped" around to see the two little girls. Anyway fast forward to
today we all know that Lesley is more than that. She's gone on to many fantastic
performances but let me take a moment to focus on her in panto. Since researching her work
for this award it's been amazing to see how much Lesley has done and how highly everyone speaks about her. Her performances in pantomimes have entertained the whole family every year and every year she still keeps a top performance as one of the high headliners - a name that everyone looks for each year. Well done Lesley you've worked really hard and we're proud to welcome you to the hall of fame!


Interview
recorded
January 2024
Panto Credits
A selection of Lesley's pantos
1991: Cinderella
Richards Theatre
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1992: Cinderella
Theatre Royal, Bath
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1993: Dick Whittington
Birmingham Hippodrome
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1994: Dick Whittingham
Southampton Mayflower
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1995: Dick Whittington
New Victoria, Woking
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1996: Dick Whittington
Theatre Royal, Plymouth
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1997: Dick Whittington
Wimbledon Theatre
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1998: Dick Whittington
Theatre Royal, Nottingham
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2000: Dick Whittington
Theatre Royal, Newcastle
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2002: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Theatre Royal, Brighton
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2003: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Richmond Theatre
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2004: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Theatre Royal, Newcastle
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2005: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Bradford Alhambra
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2006: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Wolverhampton Grand Theatre
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2007: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
New Theatre Cardiff
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2008: Cinderella
Theatre Royal, Plymouth
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2009: Cinderella
Orchard Theatre, Dartford
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2010: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Grand Theatre, Belfast
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2011: Cinderella
Wycombe Swan, High Wycombe
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2012: Robinson Crusoe
Birmingham Hippodrome
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2013: Robinson Crusoe
Southampton Mayflower
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2014: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Theatre Royal, Nottingham
2015: Cinderella
Cliffs Pavilion, Southend
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2016: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Theatre Royal, Plymouth
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2018: Cinderella
Churchill Theatre, Bromley
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2019: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Birmingham Hippodrome
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2020: Sleeping Beauty
Southampton Mayflower
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2021: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Bristol Hippodrome
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2022: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Milton Keynes Theatre
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2023: Jack and the Beanstalk
New Theatre, Cardiff
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2024: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Theatre Royal, Plymouth
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A selection of posters and bills



























