The Wizard of Oz pantomime is taking itself on a UK tour this Christmas and it will be stopping off in Leeds for a special date in December.
Landing at the city's First Direct Arena on Monday 20 December, it's being billed as 'the world's biggest panto' and it's easy to see why when you look at the all-star cast.
Headed up by One Show presenter Matt Baker and Jenny ‘The Vixen’ Ryan from ITV quiz show The Chase, you already know it's going to be a great show.
From the same producers who brought us Elf, Cinderella and Peter Pan, this year's Wizard of Oz panto is a brand new production from World’s Biggest Productions.
Matt Baker, who plays the Wizard, said of the upcoming show: “This Christmas I'm swapping the green fields of Our Farm in the Dales for the Emerald City! I'll be an acrobatic, laser wielding wizard and I might even bring the Children in Need Rickshaw along for the ride.
"It's a show packed with spectacular entertainment and fun with a brilliant script and cast to boot. I can't wait for my festive tour on the yellow brick road!”
Jenny Ryan, who's playing the role of Glinda, said: “The spectacular size of the show is breathtaking. There are giant video screens with animated computer graphic backgrounds and an ice-covered Emerald city skating scene that is magical."
“With a 10-metre tall roof there is plenty of flying with cirque stars as the crows, and the witch actually flies on a broomstick around the arena. What’s also fun is that I am known as one of telly’s top TV quizzers, yet I have to contend with a man with no brains at all.”
Scarecrow, meanwhile, is played by new comedy star Jordan Conway - known for his roles in Faded Glory (2020), So Awkward (2015) and Kids Unlimited (2007).
Having just finished performing his own show at Butlin's, Jordan is raring to go for the Christmas season:
Jordan said: “I can’t wait to get started, nothing beats the sound of thousands of family members all laughing together.”
Feature image- World’s Biggest Productions.
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Leeds Bradford Airport set for complete ‘shutdown’ as 130 workers go on strike
Leeds Bradford Airport is set for a standstill as almost 130 workers are set to take industrial action over pay.
If you're planning on catching a flight from Leeds Bradford Airport, then you may want to double check the date.
The Unite members planning on going on strike are a mixture of air traffic control workers, customer experience staff, security staff and cleaners.
The workers involved in the dispute have recently come out of a four-year pay deal, with some of the departments having fallen behind other airports in equivalent roles.
Pay talks have been happening since December 2025, with the airport's formal offer not going far enough to address the lack of pay parity.
Strikes will take place from 03:00 Friday 16 October to 06:00 Sunday 18 October for hourly paid staff and from 06:00 Friday 16 October to 06:00 Sunday 18 October for air traffic control workers.
Strike will mean the entire airport will shut down.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: "Leeds Bradford Airport is very profitable and can more than afford to come back to the table with an offer that doesn't fall short of our members' expectations.
"Our hardworking members should not be paid less than those doing the same jobs at other airports. Workers taking action at Leeds Bradford Airport have Unite's full support in their fight for fairer pay."
Unite regional officer Neil Whitaker said: "We know people who have flights planned to and from Leeds Bradford Airport will be concerned to hear of industrial action, however our members have no choice but to strike.
"The airport is profitable, passenger numbers are growing and our members are a major part of its success. They deserve a fair pay rise, and management must come back to the table to deliver this."
Leeds pizza shop hailed ‘exceptional’ and ‘best in the UK’ by major reviewer
Clementine Hall
A Leeds pizza takeaway has received a glowing review from popular review duo.
Edges Pizza opened up their first permanent spot in Leeds back in June this year, after making a name for themselves slinging out pizzas at multiple pop-ups across the city.
Owners Grace and Edge from Harrogate opened Edges Pizza two years ago, taking inspiration from trips to New York over the years.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Their pizzas are a love letter to the class New York slice, think thin and crispy rather than chewy and floppy. But above all else, think absolutely delicious.
And now, they've caught the attention of a major review page, with Bite Twice Food Reviews (a page with almost 300k followers) paying Edges a visit.
The food review duo of Gerry del Guercio and Paul Delany popped up in Holbeck beneath the arches to get their hands on a pizza, and the outcome is brilliant.
In the video, Bite Twice said that the pizza is 'f**cking exceptional' and up there with 'one of the best pizzas in the UK'.
Before even taking a bite, they said: "On aesthetic, I don't think anywhere in the UK is doing pizza like this".
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Then after the first bite, they go on to say: "There are very few pizzas in the UK that create this, I’m a little bit blown away".
As Londoners themselves, they go on to say that Edges is 'easily hitting with the best that we’ve got down south'.
And if that's not high praise enough, they sign off the video saying: "Leeds has got an absolute gem. I give this a stamp so hard my foot went through the pizza. Edges. Don Level."
Georgina Pellant -
1st October 2021 
