Brian playing Aladdin? Oh, yes he is!

Brian Fortuna will play the starring role in the pantomime Aladdin at the Royal & Derngate Theatre in Northampton this Christmas.

The show runs from Friday 9th December to Sunday January 8th.

Story in Northampton Chronicle.

To book tickets, go the the theatre website.

Other stars include Bobby Davro and Basil Brush. Boom boom!

Ali goes to Parliament to raise awareness of illegal puppy farming

Ali Bastian visited Parliament today to highlight the issue of illegal puppy farms.

She joined vet Marc Abraham at a meeting with Helen Grant MP and the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Picture here by Marc Abraham.

Other charities involved included Four Paws UK and Be Puppy Farm Aware (BPFA).

Puppy farming is the practice where dogs are bred purely for profit, often with no license and with no concern for the health or welfare of the dogs. The Dogs Trust as well as other charities campaign against this practice.

Ali has tweeted a request for people to contact campaigners if they have any knowledge of a puppy farm in Kent. Email bepuppyfarmaware@yahoo.com if you can help.

Marc Abraham - Marc the Vet - set up Pup Aid Puppy Farming Awareness Day and also helps judge a range of charity dog shows including Scruffts and the Mayhew Dog Show. For more information, see his website.

Over the moon about Over the Rainbow

Brian Fortuna will be appearing in a musical Over the Rainbow - The Eva Cassidy Story which goes on tour in the UK from September. Tour dates are here.

The show opens in St Helens on Saturday 3rd September and tours the UK until early November, although further dates may be added. Venues already confirmed include Bromley, Liverpool, Blackpool, Barrow, Cheltenham, Dunfermline among others.

The musical is the story of the American singer Eva Cassidy who died tragically young at the age of 33. The role of Eva will be played by Sarah Jane Buckley who appeared in Hollyoaks. Brian will play the role of Danny Cassidy, Eva's brother.

For more details, see the Theatre Productions website.