RTÉ's Joe Duffy "Nervous As Hell" About Making His Panto Debut ...

RTÉ broadcaster Joe Duffy says it's a dream come true to be starring in this year's Christmas panto, Magic Mirror, at Dublin's the Tivoli theatre.

"I'll be nervous as hell, anyway! Joe Duffy admitted, joking: "Because I'd say there'll be rotten tomatoes and everything!"

Joe is clearly a huge fan of panto. "I love panto. Maureen Potter, Jack Cruise - going back it's a tradition in our household for years," Joe Duffy said during an interview with RTÉ's Ray D'Arcy.

"When Alan Hughes and Karl [Broderick] started their panto - the Sammy Sausages Panto, Buffy and all of that - about 21 years ago my kids were three and I think we've gone to every single one of them, every year. They started in St Anthony's Hall, then they moved to Liberty Hall, then they moved to the Tivoli."

Joe was invited to do the panto this year by Karl Broderick.

"I met Karl last Christmas and I said to him, 'Karl, if you're doing the panto this year, you have to do music from The Greatest Showman - my favourite movie of all time!' And he said, 'I haven't heard of it'. And I said, 'It's just fantastic'. So there's a number of songs from (the) Greatest Showman in it.

"Then he rang me about three months ago and said, 'Would you do the panto?' I said, 'No, no'. He said, 'No, it doesn't mean you come up [perform] every day... There's a mirror - a talking mirror - so we do you as a hologram'. I record a load of stuff, a load of different conversations, which they use."

It'll sadly be the last ever production at the iconic theatre.

"So I'm determined to bring the place down. And I will bring the place down because they're demolishing the Tivoli in January when the panto is over!" joked Joe Duffy.

Producer Alan Hughes says he is tickled pink to be starring alongside the famous broadcaster. "Joe has been a great supporter of our panto since we began, and it's a great thrill to have him on board," said Alan.

While writer Karl Broderick said: "Joe was my dream choice for the role of the Magic Mirror.

"You can tell from listening to Joe on the radio that he's naturally very funny and quite cheeky.

"In the show he asks the image obsessed Evil Queen to 'Talk to Joe', but he makes matters worse, when he cannot tell her she's the fairest one of all.

"The part was written especially for Joe and he's hilarious...you seriously do not want to miss it..it’s a great addition to the top notch cast."

Massive congratulations to Alan Hughes and @karlbroderick who got married today. We wish you every happiness for the future! #lovelynews pic.twitter.com/DEtUhr1bCR

— Woman's Way (@Womans_Way) September 30, 2016