FORMER TOWIE star Amy Childs has confirmed that she is pregnant - but that won't stop her appearing in panto Aladdin at St Helens Theatre Royal this Christmas.

The trained beautician, 26, who is appearing in the panto alongside real life cousin and ex TOWIE star Harry Derbidge, told the Star she'd be looking for someone from town to cook her Christmas dinner during the stint... well, now she'll be eating for two!

Amy, who also has a clothing line, confirmed she was expecting her first baby in an interview with OK! magazine, later Tweeting: 'It's official. We have a baby on the way. So, so excited.'

A spokesperson for the St Helens Theatre Royal said Amy would still be appearing in the seasonal show, which runs from December 3 to January 8, and, on Twitter, the theatre wished Amy well: 'Congratulations on the fantastic news from all of us Theatre Royal St Helens.'

Essex girl Amy and her boyfriend Bradley Wright, who was recently imprisoned for handling stolen goods, are expecting the baby in May.

She told OK! she is "shocked but happy", adding: "We've wanted a baby for so long, so we're happier than we've ever been."

Amy is due to play the slave of the ring alongside cousin Harry as PC Noodle, adding a touch of glamour and bringing their The Only Way is Essex catchphrases to the proceedings.

She shot to fame in ITV2 reality show TOWIE. She ran her own salon in Brentwood and went on to launch a fashion line and appear on Channel 5's 'Big Brother'.

At a panto launch event, Amy told the Star: "We've been on telly for nearly six years now so that's second nature, but this is my first panto. It's really exciting!"

And she joked: "We'll miss our family over Christmas but they'll come up every week and spend Boxing Day with us... so we'll be around on Christmas Day if anyone out there wants to do our Christmas dinner...!"

The pair will be joined at the Theatre Royal by David Heath, from X Factor boyband Eaton Road, as Aladdin and Princess Jasmine will be played by Olivia Sloyan, whose previous theatre credits include Blood Brothers.

Shameless' Stan Waterman, aka actor Warren Donnolly, plays bad guy Abanazer, with Josh Bennett, who played a goblin in Harry Potter, plays the Genie of the Lamp.

For information and tickets, costing from £13 to £17, visit sthelenstheatreroyal.com, call 756000 or call to the box office in Corporation Street.