A magic carpet tale of adventure is set to touch down in Chesterfield with two multi-million selling pop stars leading the line-up of the family favourite pantomime Aladdin this Christmas at the Pomegranate Theatre.

Atomic Kitten star and Celebrity Masterchef winner Liz McClarnon, will take to the stage as the stunning Princess Jasmine, while 911 frontman and star of the stage, Lee Brennan, will take on the title role as our hero Aladdin.

Liz is best known as one third of Britain’s most successful girl group of the noughties: Atomic Kitten. The group experienced phenomenal success, going on to have 15 singles reach the top 10 in the UK, including the number 1 hits Eternal Flame, The Tide is High and their biggest selling single Whole Again which sold over a million copies in the UK alone. The girls’ popularity led to global record sales of over ten million, chart success and sell out arena tours at home and throughout Asia and even a slot to perform at Buckingham Palace in front of a TV audience of millions for the Queen’s Jubilee celebrations in 2002.

After the girl group went their separate ways, Liz achieved chart success in her own right, landing a top 5 hit with her version of the classic Barbara Streisand song Woman in Love, which was produced for her by Bee Gee Robin Gibb.

Away from the music world, 2008 saw Liz back on our screens for an altogether different reason – swapping microphone for apron, she embarked on a new challenge when she entered Celebrity Masterchef. Five million people regularly saw her take on everyone and every challenge put in front of her, where her natural culinary ability and hard work helped secure her the title of Celebrity Masterchef 2008!

Cooking took Liz into the world of television, leading to regular appearances on panel shows and opening doors for her as a presenter. She has hosted the National Lottery for BBC1, interviewed the hottest names in music for MTV and fronted her own series for BBC3. Not forgetting her musical roots, Liz took to the stage in the lead female role in The War of the

Worlds starring opposite Jason Donovan and hit the road in the touring production of Legally Blonde where she starred as Paulette.

Fast forward to January 2013 and Liz was back with Atomic Kitten, starring in ITV2’s huge smash hit fly on the wall documentary The Big Reunion, which documented the real life ups and downs of being part of a reunited pop band. Watched by over two million people, an arena tour followed which saw Liz and the kittens perform to over 200,000 people along with bands Five, Atomic Kitten, B*Witched, Blue, Liberty X and 911!

After joining forces for a smash hit tour of pop nostalgia, Liz is set to be reunited with fellow popstar Lee Brennan, the lead singer of hit boyband 911. Lee and the lads shot to fame with chart-topping hits such as A Night to Remember, Bodyshakin, Don’t Make Me Wait and A Little Bit More. The band’s debut album The Journey spent 17 weeks in the UK charts, was awarded a gold disc and even went 12 times platinum in Malaysia, such was their success and appeal.

Four more studio albums, including a Greatest Hits, and 14 singles kept the boys in the charts and the public eye from 1996 to 2000. As the millennium approached the hit-makers were one of just five acts in the decade to achieve 10 consecutive top 10 singles in the UK. The lads had become one of the biggest and most recognisable faces of the 90s pop scene, selling more than ten million records and playing to thousands in sell-out arena tours in the UK, and 70,000 people in Singapore alone on their tour of Asia.

Away from the group, Lee has clocked up years of experience on the stage. He has played to thousands in headline pantomime roles around the country, including four consecutive appearances as Peter Pan, and a headline role cutting loose on stage in Footloose, The Musical alongside stage star Maureen Nolan.

Liz and Lee will star in Aladdin at the Pomegranate Theatre from Friday 2 December 2016 to Tuesday 3 January 2017. Tickets are available from the Chesterfield Theatres Box Office by visiting www.chesterfieldtheatres.co.uk/panto or by calling 01246 345 222. Further cast members will be announced soon.

From comedians and concerts to dramas and dance nights, there are a variety of fantastic shows are on the way to Chesterfield Theatres this spring including the return of the legendary Agatha Christie thriller The Mousetrap starring Louise Jameson from EastEnders and Dr Who.

Other highlights at the Pomegranate Theatre will include new Yorkshire-grit comedy Shafted!, Jesus Christ Super Star, David Copperfield the musical and plenty of fun family shows including Northern Ballet’s Tortoise and the Hare, We’re going on a Bear Hunt and The Gruffalo’s Child.

The Winding Wheel is excited to present hit Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical Tell Me on a Sunday starring Jodie Prenger in March, as well as concerts from American legend Chubby Checker, Gerry & the Pacemakers, and Paul Carrack.

Keeping us laughing this spring will be Gary Delaney, Lee Nelson, Romesh Ranganathan and fascinating Aidas Dillie Keane, as well as more fantastic stand-up comedians to look out for at Chesterfield Theatres’ own Spotlight Comedy Club.

To view all shows on sale at Chesterfield Theatres, visit www.chesterfieldtheatres.co.uk or visit the theatre’s box office now found in the Chesterfield Visitor Information Centre in Rykneld Square.

An online brochure can also be downloaded by clicking here.

Cookery lessons will soon be on the menu at Nonnas in Chesterfield as the restaurant prepares to launch a series of classes early in 2016.

Aimed at foodies of all abilities, Nonnas Chesterfield Cookery School will be open on Mondays and will run full-days courses from Pasta & Bread making to Regional Specialities days and Chef’s Skills.

The courses will be hands-on, with special demonstrations from Nonnas’ chefs. Guests will get to enjoy lunch with wine match, receive exclusive goodies as well as take home the fruit of their hard work.

Gian Bohan, Founder says:“The Nonnas Cookery School has always been in the pipeline for us as we love to share our passion for cooking, Italian foods and ingredients”.

Nonna’s first full-day course will take place on Monday 15th February 2016 and will teach budding chefs how to create the perfect fresh pasta and gnocchi with Head Chef Jamie Taylor.  There will also be the opportunity to enjoy lunch in the new look all-day dining area surrounded by their award winning wines.

Courses can be booked on an individual basis or as private hire and corporate team building days. For further information about events & on how to book contact Chiara at info@nonnas.co.uk.

Chesterfield Football Club’s first Christmas Toy Appeal has been launched this week – aiming to put smiles on the faces of underprivileged children and families in the local area on Christmas Day.

Fans are being encouraged to drop gifts off at the club during the lead up to Christmas.

An appeal has gone out to all Spireites fans, the general public and businesses to pick up an extra children’s present while Christmas shopping and donate it to the appeal.

The players visit various hospitals and charities every Christmas and the presents donated will be handed out during those trips.

Kevin Fitzgerald, the club’s head of commercial and marketing, said: “We are very much the hub of the local community and we want to do all we can to help local children and families this Christmas.

“We are hoping that the kindness of our fantastic supporters will enable the club to give more to charities and children than ever before.

“With the help of the Chesterfield community and local businesses, we want to ensure the children of struggling families have presents to open on Christmas Day.”

Donations can be dropped off at the Proact Stadium reception during normal office hours and on match days.