This Christmas, Richie Anderson is making his pantomime debut playing Alderman Fitzwarren in Dick Whittington at De Montfort Hall in Leicester, working with Rebecca Keatley as Alice Fitzwarren, Suzanne Shaw as Fairy Bowbells and Djalenga Scott as Queen Rat, and Dick Whittington runs from Friday 12th December until Saturday 3rd January. Richie is BBC Radio 2 host and has his own show at 12am on Mondays, having joined the station in 2019 as part of the BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show with Zoe Ball. As a BBC Radio 2 host, Richie has hosted coverage of the Eurovision Song Contest and commentated during the Semi-Finals with live reporting in Turin, Malmo, Liverpool and Basel. In the currently-airing series of Escape to the Country, Richie began his role as a new presenter for the show, and he has presented a wide range of films for BBC The One Show. Away from hosting, Richie is in his third series of Celebrity Gogglebox alongside Paralympic swimmer Ellie Simmonds. We caught up with Richie about making his pantomime debut as Alderman Fitzwarren in Dick Whittington at De Montfort Hall in Leicester, his time as a host so far for BBC Radio 2, being a new presenter on Escape to the Country and working with Ellie Simmonds on Celebrity Gogglebox.

How does it feel to be making your pantomime debut this Christmas in Dick Whittington at De Montfort Hall in Leicester?

I can’t wait, I’ve always wanted to have a go at panto, but I always wanted to do it in the Midlands because I’m a Midlands lad. Leicester is very special to me because we spent a lot of time there for Radio 2 in the Park in 2023 and I was blown away by how beautiful De Montfort Hall is. It’s something very much out of my comfort zone but as a massive panto fan, I can’t wait to come and have fun and give everybody a giggle.

You will be playing the role of Alderman Fitzwarren, how would you describe the character and what do you think he’ll be like to play?

I think the character is a very well-to-do businessman, who is very overprotective of his daughter Alice. Despite his good intentions, he jumps the gun and lands Dick in a lot of trouble. The outfits are fabulous, and I’m going to try and bring a bit of Richie chaos to the character. I also feel I may get some gentle ribbing from the cast which I’m excited for, and I’ve asked to sing a solo! You’ll have to come along to see if they grant my wish.

What are you looking forward to for opening at De Montfort Hall on Friday 12th December and how are you preparing for your first performance?

I’m looking forward to being on stage in front of a live audience every single night. I’m going to prepare by learning the script (which is a start) and I’ll just bounce off the energy of the crowd. At the end of the day, the audience are coming to have fun and for us to get them involved so I want to make sure everybody leaves with a smile on their face.

How has it been meeting the rest of the cast for the first time, which includes Rebecca Keatley as Alice Fitzwarren, Suzanne Shaw as Fairy Bowbells and Djalenga Scott as Queen Rat?

They are all so lovely. I used to have Suzanne’s poster on my wall. When Popstars first aired on ITV, I was obsessed with both Hear’Say and Liberty X! I remember going to West Bromwich market and buying a Hear’Say poster, I’m not going to lie, I don’t think it was official merch, but it was a long time ago and I’ll buy her a coffee to make up for any loss in royalties. But I did buy the album Popstars. She’s been so lovely so far, as have all the cast!

How do you think you will find the experience of interacting with a pantomime audience?

I’ve interacted with a Leicester audience before at Radio 2 in the Park in 2023 so I know the audience will be bang up for it. I’m a Midlands lad so I get the humour, and I can’t wait to have a giggle on stage and meet as many of you at stage door as possible.

Why would you recommend booking tickets to see Dick Whittington in Leicester, which is booking until Saturday 3rd January 2026?

Because it’s going to be awesome. The script is hilarious, and the songs are so catchy! So get yourself there.

You host your own show on BBC Radio 2 every Monday morning at midnight; what do you enjoy most about hosting your own show and how is it going live from Salford during the night?

I’ve been in radio since I was 19 when I joined my university radio station (Leeds Student Radio). I then progressed onto BBC Radio WM after uni, where I was for nine years, so to have made it to Radio 2 feels like in the football world, making it all the way to Manchester City! The top team. To have my own show on Radio 2 is a dream come true. I love playing music because I’m a music geek and I love speaking with our brilliant listeners who always have the best stories and banter. I also have a great production team, who are so much fun. It’s an honour to have a show on Radio 2 and it’s an achievement I’m so proud of and I want to keep progressing at Radio 2 and growing because it feels like home.

Do you remember how you felt joining the station in 2019 as part of the BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show with Zoe Ball and what are some of your stand-out highlights from working with them so far, which have included raising over £877,000 for Sport Relief as part of their Dare 2 Try campaign in 2020 with Jo Whiley and Kate Bottley?

Getting the call up top Radio 2 is how I imagine sports stars feel when they get called up to represent their country. Working with Zoe was incredible, she is the kindest most supportive person I’ve ever worked with, and she is also an incredible broadcaster who I’ve learned so much from.

My highlights on the show were probably out and about live reporting at Eurovision in Turin, Malmo, Liverpool and Basel.

What is it like hosting the BBC Eurovision Song Contest coverage and commentating during the Semi-Finals?

I’m a Eurovision geek so it felt like a job I was always meant to have. It really pushed me outside of my comfort zone because commentary is such a skill and you feel part of Team UK so you want to do a good job of it. My Eurovision prep starts in January and the whole first five months of the year are geared towards the contest. I stick post-it notes up around the house with all my notes so maybe I’ll have to do that with the panto script.

How has it been joining the team at Escape to the Country as a new presenter in their currently-airing Series 26?

I’m so proud to be the newest presenter of Escape to the Country. It’s such an iconic British television show so I feel like I’m walking in the footsteps of giants. The crew I work with are incredible! So supportive and they’ve been so good with me since I started. The show has a strong format so it’s all about respecting that format by trying to sprinkle my personality on it. I’m blown away by the generosity of the people who allow us to film in their beautiful homes, and the house hunters who come on and share their story.

You present a wide range of films for The One Show, and won an RTS Award for your short film where you came out as gay to your football teammates, how is it presenting for The One Show and how did you feel winning the award?

I was blown away because I’ve never won anything. My mum still has the trophy up in her living room.

Alongside Paralympic swimmer Ellie Simmonds, you are currently on your third series of Celebrity Gogglebox, what is the show like to film?

I love it, mainly because Ellie is my best mate and it gives us an excuse to spend four hours together and have a catch up because we are both so busy. She’s so funny and so brilliant on the show. Also, for somebody so successful, she’s so humble and kind. Only downside is we snack so much on the show, I consume more chocolate in one Gogglebox shoot than I do in the rest of the year.

Where does your love of presenting come from and how did you originally get started in the industry?

I’ve always wanted to be a presenter. I’m still learning all the time, but I feel I’m currently my most authentic self on screen. My TV break came through The One Show in 2018 when I used to pitch them ideas for VTs I could present, and they took a chance on me and I’m still a reporter on the show eight years on!

How do you like to spend your free time and do you have any favourite TV shows or films to watch?

I love spending time with my partner Dean, my three-year-old nephew, and family. I love going on cruises. This year we’ve done a med cruise and Jane McDonald’s chartered Scandinavian cruise. I’m obsessed with The Traitors and I’m a season ticket holder at West Bromwich Albion.

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