Jason Manford and Ben Nickless will return for a fourth season sharing the stage at Manchester Opera House for the spectacular family pantomime, Robin Hood.
Manchester Opera House has today [Thursday 27 Feb] announced that comedy superstar Jason Manford and panto favourite Ben Nickless will reunite for a fourth consecutive year to lead the cast of this year’s pantomime on a spellbinding journey to the enchanting depths of Sherwood Forest in Robin Hood. Running from Saturday 6 December 2025 to Sunday 4 January 2026, the annual production will once again bring festive fun to Manchester audiences, with the dynamic duo returning by popular demand.
Starring as the title role, Salford-born Jason Manford has established himself as a firm favourite in Manchester theatre-goers Christmas calendars over the past few years. Away from comedy, Jason has hosted many shows for the BBC and ITV including Unbeatable, Sunday Night at The Palladium and The Royal Variety Performance. He was a judge on ITV1's Saturday night talent show Starstruck and has hosted BBC One's primetime show Big Night of Musicals since 2022. He recently hosted the new BBC teatime quiz show, The Answer Run. On stage, Jason has starred in numerous musicals in the West End and across the UK, including Wizard of Oz, Sweeney Todd, The Producers, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Guys and Dolls, and Curtains. He is currently on tour with his solo show, A Manford All Seasons.
On returning to the Manchester Opera House for another pantomime season, Jason Manford said:
“What can I say? It’s just the most amount of fun you can possibly have! Manchester at Christmas with my good pal Ben Nickless. To be part of people’s Christmas tradition, as well as so many children’s first experience of theatre, is such a privilege so I just had to come back again this year for Robin Hood! I can’t wait, although I’m not sure about the green tights!”
Joining Jason once again is Britain’s Got Talent finalist and audience favourite Ben Nickless, in the role of Will Scarlett. Rochdale-born Nickless started his working life playing the comedy clubs in the North-West and his career took off in 2006 when he performed his own style of comedy and impressions on the BBC television series Let Me Entertain Youalongside Brian Conley and Christine Bleakley, winning his episode. Some of his previous roles at the Manchester Opera House include Muddles in Snow White, Wishee Washee in Aladdin, Smee in The Pantomime Adventures of Peter Pan, Silly Simon in Jack and the Beanstalk and most recently, Buttons in Cinderella.
Ben, who marks his seventh consecutive in the Opera House pantomime, said:
“I’m over the moon to be back for another year at the Opera House, and I’m even happier that Jason’s coming along for the ride again! We had such a fantastic time in Cinderella, and I can’t wait to create even more mischief this Christmas. Manchester has the best audiences in the country, and I promise we’ll have plenty of new routines, laughs, and a few surprises in store!”
Michael Harrison, Chief Executive of the UK’s biggest pantomime producer Crossroads Pantomimes said:
“We are absolutely thrilled to have Jason and Ben returning for a fourth season together, bringing their incredible talent and chemistry back to the Opera House stage. Manchester audiences have loved them year after year, so it was a no brainer to bring them back together for our adventure to Sherwood Forest this Christmas”.
This year’s production of Robin Hood promises to be a spectacular festive treat for all ages, packed with side-splitting comedy, dazzling costumes, and show-stopping musical numbers. Tickets are expected to sell fast, so book today for guaranteed mischief, mayhem, and merry-making!
Robin Hood replaces the previously announced Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
Tickets are on sale now via: https://www.atgtickets.com/venues/opera-house-manchester/