With a career that spans music, theatre, film and television, Sinitta is now casting her magic wand to appear as the Spirit of Pantomime at the Alhambra Theatre in Bradford alongside Billy Pearce and Myra DuBois in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs – oh yes, she is!

Known for her glamorous style and fun personality, returning to her theatrical roots and Bradford in particular is something that thrills the charismatic singer.

“I love coming back to the Alhambra. I was last here a few years ago performing in the musical Chicago. I was very happy when I was asked to appear in this year’s pantomime, as the Alhambra is one of the most beautiful theatres in the country.” 

The Bradford pantomime is firmly established and recognised as the best pantomime in the north of England. This year Yorkshire-born comedian Billy Pearce marks his 25th anniversary of appearing in the Alhambra Panto, something that has excited Sinitta.

“I grew up watching Billy on television, and we have even appeared on shows with him, such as Sunday Night at the London Palladium, but we never actually met each other. Being on the same bill in Bradford is something I am really looking forward to.”

With a successful career in the music industry, Sinitta rose to fame in the mid-1980s with a string of hits, including Toy Boy, Cross My Broken Heart and her debut single, So Macho, which reached number two, spending seven months in the UK charts. 

As might be expected, Sinitta will be performing one or two of her big hits in the pantomime. ‘I am not going to spoil it for everyone coming to the show, but I think there could be an opportunity for me to perform So Macho that probably will involve Billy, but I do not want to give anything away,’ she teased.

Her pop successes were due in part to working with the production and writing team Stock, Aitken and Waterman, whose songs performed by Kylie Minogue, Rick Astley and Jason Donovan, amongst others, dominated the charts in the late eighties. The innovative approach was something that impressed Sinitta.

“Every song that Stock, Aiken and Waterman wrote became a hit, and I consider myself very lucky to have had the opportunity to work with them. I used to go into the studio with them, and they would compose songs that were tailor-made for you. For example, one of the songs, GTO, was about Simon (Cowell), who I was seeing at the time; he is crazy about cars, and he always wanted a Ferrari 250 GTO. Forty years on, their songs have stood the test of time; for people, these songs were part of their childhood and have special memories for them.”

Starting out in the music world in 2025 is something that Sinitta would not relish: “It is so hard these days to sell millions of records like what used to happen – even as near back as ten years ago, with the advent of streaming, things have changed enormously. Back in the day an artist would release an album, and it was seen as a whole body of work; nowadays people will just buy or stream one track of the record.”

Pantomime can be hard work with as many as twelve performances a week, sometimes with two shows a day, not that this has deterred Sinitta.

“I know it is not going to be easy, but I think it will be fun. I also think that this year has been Bradford’s time to shine with being the UK Capital of Culture, which has seen the city promoted in a positive light. What I appreciate about the Bradford audiences from when I was here before is that they are willing to go out to the theatre and support the arts and enjoy themselves at the same time.”

Sinitta remains close to Simon Cowell, her ex-partner who went on to launch the careers of One Direction, Olly Murs and Little Mix, amongst others. Pantomime might not be something you would associate with the mastermind behind the X Factor television programme.

“He will probably be in Barbados when I’m doing the panto, but I will be sending him photographs of the show, and he can see what he is missing! My children will be coming to see me on stage in Bradford; now that they are older and at college, I don’t have to spend Christmas time at home, which has allowed me to do panto. 

There will be something for everyone in this year’s Panto: bonkers, eccentric but very British – I have been warned that anything can happen on stage with Billy, but like the Bradford audiences, I’m ready for it and looking forward to appearing on a Yorkshire stage.”

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs runs from Saturday 6th December to Sunday 18th January 2026.

https://www.bradford-theatres.co.uk/whats-on/snow-white