The O2 builds Lily Savage her very own theatre for Aladdin panto

But rarely seen queen of showbiz Lily Savage – aka Britain’s most beloved dog lover and TV presenter Paul O’Grady – has done just that.

The O2 in Greenwich is creating a purpose-built, 1900-seat venue to house musical pantomime Aladdin - A Wish Come True, starring the guttural diva as Widow Twankey.

Paul told Vibe: “The O2 Arena’s no place for panto.

“It’s too big, so they’re building us a theatre.

“I expect we’ll all be in Portakabins round the back, hovering over a fan heater, but no doubt it will look lovely out front.”

The Theatre at The O2, complete with its own foyers, bars and a stage able to accommodate the show’s elaborate set and exciting flying carpet illusion, promises to be swankier than Lily’s frocks.

Paul added: “I love the insanity of it all (pantomime).

“Although, if you asked me that question the third week in I’d turn on you and say I hate it, I want to go home!

“But I love it really.

“You’re in this family for four weeks and if you have the three Gs – a great company, great audiences and a great production – then you’re laughing.

“I couldn’t think of a nicer way to spend Christmas.”

Miss Savage will be joined on stage by former S Club 7 member Jon Lee as Aladdin and songbird Issy Van Randwyck as Slave of The Ring.

Paul says the secret to keeping the audience spellbound is a cracking story which doesn’t drag its heels.

“Ours opens with a funeral.” He said.

“The kids love that with all the thunder, lightning and dry ice – and they’re burying Widow Twankey’s husband.

“It’s a prologue so you find out how Widow Twankey ended up in Peking running a laundrette.

“You get the back story.

“And when you have a really good script like ours, it enables you to stray off for a bit.

“I chat to the audience and tell them my woes, but you don’t want to be going overboard - you’ve got a crew there who want their lunch and people who want to get the bus.”

The busy animal lover will be performing in the vibrant family show around filming a TV Christmas special for Battersea Dogs and Cats Home and presenting his weekly Radio 2 series.

He said: “I’ve got nine pigs, 10 sheep, four barn owls – it’ll be like Hogwarts here soon – two goats, four dogs and loads of chickens and ducks.

“It’s ridiculous.

“And then I’m filming at Battersea and I’m looking at this little dog, Cracker, that’s taken a shine to me and I’m thinking ‘no, you can’t.’”

While it’s clear Paul would never condemn any four-legged friends to the hellish Cave of Wonder, there are a few people he would banish, never to be seen again.

He joked: “It would be a very busy cave.

“And not only would I shut them in, but I’d fill it full of ice-cold water, just to waist level, and then I’d break the sewer pipe.

“Then and I’d go in and cheer myself up, watching them all being miserable.

“But there’s nobody I really hate so I’d have to go in and let them out and say ‘I’m awful sorry, I just had the hump this morning.’ “I’d be a terrible dictator.

“I’d invade a country and then have to say ‘sorry, we’ll just have our dinner and go – I’ve changed my mind.’”

Aladdin – A Wish Come True runs twice a day at The Theatre at The O2 between December 7 and January 5.

For bookings call 0844 856 0202 or visit theo2.co.uk