Charlie Brooks is currently appearing as Mrs Blunderbore in Jack and the Beanstalk at Bristol Hippodrome until Sunday 4th January 2026, and works with a cast including Benjamin Yates (Jack Trot), Ashlyn Weekes (Princess Jill), Will Young (Spirit of the Beans), Richard Cadell (Silly Simon) and Andy Ford (Farmer Trot). In the 2024/25 UK Tour of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Charlie played The Childcatcher in select venues, and she previously made her West End debut as Ursula in The Ocean at the End of the Lane after touring with the production, and played Blanche DuBois in A Streetcar Named Desire at Leicester Curve. As a screen actor, Charlie most recently played Kim Vian in the ITV mini-series The Hack, which stars David Tennant, played Anna Fallmont in the Channel 5 mini-series Lie with Me, and she is probably best-known for playing Janine Butcher in EastEnders for many years. Alongside her acting career, Charlie is co-founder of iampro, which is trying to make acting training accessible and affordable for those who want to get into the industry that may not have the funds to be able to. We chatted to Charlie about playing Mrs Blunderbore in Jack and the Beanstalk at Bristol Hippodrome, touring as The Childcatcher in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and her time as Janine in EastEnders.

You are playing Mrs Blunderbore in this year’s Jack and the Beanstalk pantomime at Bristol Hippodrome, how would you describe the character and what is she like to play?

I tried to make the character a little bit kooky, a little bit bonkers, and slightly menacing, and the most important thing for me was to play with her and have fun with her on stage, which is what I’m doing.

Do you have a favourite aspect of pantomime season, and what is it like interacting with the family audience during a performance?

I think just knowing that it’s often children’s first experience of theatre, as it was mine, is the best thing really. There’s stuff in there for the adults that goes beautifully over the children’s heads, and I love the interaction that we have with them when we get all the boos. That’s been fun.

How has it been meeting this year’s cast, which includes Benjamin Yates (Jack Trot), Ashlyn Weekes (Princess Jill), Will Young (Spirit of the Beans), Richard Cadell (Silly Simon) and Andy Ford (Farmer Trot), and have you worked with any of them previously?

We have got so lucky because I’ve never worked with any of them before, and I love them all. They are a very, very talented, funny, quick, gorgeous bunch of human beings, and I feel honoured to share the stage with them.

What are pantomimes like to rehearse for, and how different do you find them to standard theatre productions?

They are very different because they’re so quick, so you don’t have a great deal of time, which adds a nice energy to it, I think! It’s more about placement, all the brilliant tricks and effects we have within the show, and finding your character and what you’re going to do with, for me, the villain.

What are you looking forward to for performing in Jack and the Beanstalk this Christmas, and why would you recommend booking tickets to see this year’s Bristol Hippodrome pantomime, which is booking until Sunday 4th January 2026?

I think what is so brilliant about this particular pantomime is it’s got something for everyone. There’s fantastic singing and dancing from some very talented young people. I’m not doing the singing (you’ll be pleased to know!), and it’s also got stuff in there for the adults, some magic, and lots for the little ones with Sooty and Sweep.

In select venues of the 2024/25 UK Tour of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, you performed as The Childcatcher, how was it taking on the role and what was the musical like to be part of?

I had a fantastic time on Chitty. It was a bit scary for me because I’d never really sung before, so I just about scraped through! It was a brilliant production, again, with brilliant people.

How was it making your West End debut in The Ocean at the End of the Lane as Ursula at the Noël Coward Theatre, and what was it like touring with the show before the West End run?

That was a pinnacle moment of my career. I found myself very emotional because, when I was 11, I went to the West End and saw my first-ever show, Grease – and that’s where it really all started for me. To be on stage 35 years later with such a fantastic production was amazing.

What was it like playing Blanche DuBois in A Streetcar Named Desire at Leicester Curve in 2015?

Again, that was another highlight of my career because it was such a challenge. It was one of those parts where, once I’d finished the run, I felt like I’d only just got started with her, so it’s something I’d definitely like to revisit again in the future.

As a screen actor, you could be seen playing Kim Vian in the recent ITV mini-series The Hack starring David Tennant, how was it being involved with the storyline?

The Hack was a beautiful, amazing, and important piece of storytelling that I was honoured to be part of. Having been hacked myself, it felt doubly important to be involved with that story. Playing Kim Vian was fantastic, and it’s quite a harrowing exposé of corruption.

What are some of your favourite memories from playing the hugely-popular character Janine Butcher in EastEnders across many years?

To be honest, my last stint working very closely with Danny (Dyer) and Kellie (Bright) was probably my favourite – we didn’t stop laughing and got on like a house on fire. It was really fun, even though the nation hated me for getting in the middle of those two hugely-popular characters! I’ve been honoured to have had lots of fantastic storylines over the years, and I consider myself very lucky.

What was it like filming for the Channel 5 series Lie with Me as Anna Fallmont?

Filming Lie with Me was wild because we had to stop filming due to COVID, but that was a great experience as well. It was all shot in Australia, so I got to travel and see a bit of the world at the same time – one of the added bonuses of my job!

You are the co-founder of iampro, can you tell us about the company and how did it come about?

iampro came about because we’re trying to make acting training accessible and affordable for people that can’t get into drama school or can’t afford it. It was about creating another pathway into the industry, and we’ve had some great success stories from directors who have done classes and then cast from those classes. We have lots of workshops, masterclasses, and have an on-demand library of sessions with some brilliant coaches. It basically came about because I was trying to find something that I wanted, and so we built it.

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

As I said, pantomime was my first-ever theatre experience. Then I did Willy Russell’s Our Day Out, playing Carol in the local amateur theatre – and that’s where my love of it started. I was lucky enough to have very supportive parents who allowed me to go to drama school in London, and through that I got an agent. That’s how it all began!

Do you have any favourite films, TV and theatre shows to watch?

The Sopranos is probably one of my all-time favourites, and The Color Purple is a fantastic film. I also love True Romance, Gladiator (all-time classic), and Robin Hood. For theatre, A Streetcar Named Desire is probably one of my favourite plays.

How do you like to spend your free time?

Mainly walking my dog, reading, hanging out, nurturing friendships, and eating good food!