NOTHING screams Christmas and New Year like watching your kids boo a bloke dressed as a rat who has just called them a “bogie brain.”

Yes, panto season is in full swing, and while some of the more cynical Bolton Wanderers fans will say it has been going on for about 12 months now – I was happy to report to the stadium knowing there wouldn’t be a football in sight.

Keith Chegwin is the star of this year’s offering from the Bolton Whites Hotel, bouncing around the stage with impressive energy and looking like he’s enjoying himself far too much for a man who has done this show 30-plus times now.

He plays Idle Jack in a re-telling of the old classic Dick Whittington which, for whatever reason, has been fused with a pirate storyline.

All of the familiar panto clichés are there – oh yes they are – but there are plenty of modern in-jokes and songs to make the show feel fresh and relevant.

Roxanne Pallet’s departure from the cast may have robbed it of a sprinkle of star quality but Kayleigh Joyce-Roberts doesn’t appear to have missed a beat since stepping into the role of Alice full time.

Her duets with Ruth Welch (the eponymous hero) sound great in the Platinum Suite – which serves as a good show venue - even though I’d advise people to get there early for the best seats, as younger kids could struggle to see the action if they are out in the wings.

Bad guys King Rat (Mark Paterson – not the former Wanderers midfielder) and Captain Shivermefingers (Paul Flanagan) come across with enough malevolence to get the kids hissing and jeering at the stage.

And Ben Millerman's panto dame Sarah steals some of the best lines and dance moves, and is also responsible for my children singing Meghan Trainor songs all Christmas morning.

We are even treated to some daredevil gymnastics from Collete Orler, who plays Mr Whittington’s travelling partner Tommy the Cat.

Most of all it’s fun. No-one takes it too seriously, not least the cast who giggled their way through many of the (many) double-entendres which litter the script.

So if you haven’t tried it out yet the show runs until New Year’s Day at 6pm, with ticket details on bigboltonpanto.co.uk