It's behind you!

The panto villain of Strictly Come Dancing pulls back the curtain on the colourful history of pantomime.

As Craig Revel Horwood has performed in pantomime for twenty years, you could be forgiven for assuming he was always a fan of the genre. In fact, he used to be anything but. In The Book of Panto, he traces the moments that turned him from a sceptic to a whole-hearted fan of - and advocate for - panto, as he follows its journey from ancient, international roots to its current status as a beloved British phenomenon.

Immersing us in a cast of backstage characters - from celebrity performers to costumiers and script writers, set-designers to directors and producers - this book promises a romp through the ages that shows us (oh yes it does) why it's more popular today than ever before.