She has never seen a panto but has heard about its traditions.

But Charlene, 47, who played Lucy Ewing in Dallas, said she was excited at playing Cinderella's wicked step-mother at the Kings Theatre this Christmas.

Speaking from her home in Los Angeles, she told The News: 'I have done a lot of comedy improvisation out here and a lot of stage work, and I feel I'm ready.

'I've seen pictures of the Kings Theatre and I know it's beautiful. You have so many beautiful theatres there with so much history.

'I'm very excited about it.'

Charlene was 17 when she first played Lucy, JR's niece in the American soap.

The character's marriage drew the highest audience for any episode apart from the famous 'Who shot JR?' cliffhanger.

Both Larry Hagman, who played JR, and his wife 'are just wonderful people,' she said. 'I call him Uncle Larry.

'But I was lucky. A lot of the cast members looked out for me and there was no way they were going to let me misbehave.

'They were consummate professionals with a real work ethic.'

Charlene's British television work has included reality shows The Farm and Stars In Their Eyes.

The Farm was won by Keith Harris, who will star in a rival panto at Ferneham Hall, Fareham.

She said: 'I went out in about the third week. Everybody on the show was really nice but I was very happy to leave.

'I loved doing the work on the farm, but having the camera on 24 hours a day, even when you were sleeping, was too much. I didn't like that at all. I found it disturbing.'

In Stars In Their Eyes she performed as Madonna which she described as 'fun'.

But is Madonna her regular party-piece?

'I tend not to get up at parties and sing, however many drinks I've had!'

n Cinderella runs from December 10 to January 4, 2009.

mike.allen@thenews.co.uk