Two of the country's best known faces are more than happy to return to the North-East theatre where they first met, they tell Viv Hardwick.

ONE of Britain's favourite former topless models, Linda Lusardi, and soap star turned musical headliner Sam Kane admit it's always been love at first sight when it comes to Darlington's Civic Theatre.

"Every interview we do, we mention how we first met in pantomime at Darlington, in 1994," laughs Kane as the pair prepare for a repeat performance of the same show, Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs, for Christmas 2002.

The invitation to the celebrity couple to return was one of theatre's worst-kept secrets because strong hints were being dropped back in September last year that a contract was on offer.

Love hasn't got a lot to do with it when the pair dress up in their festive finery. Lusardi ditched Snow White's apple-red lips for the Wicked Queen's fiery crown four years ago and is now the evil adversary of Kane's Prince Charming.

She says: "I know that the audiences still see me as a heroine, but I love playing against type. People are not sure what to expect when I first arrive in my carriage, but they soon start booing when they realise how horrible I'm going to be. You always pray for a child to shout out so you can ad lib 'shut up kid'."

And she was quick-witted enough to ditch one of her nastier lines when the pair were starring together last year in Cardiff.

"There had just been a nasty murder in the area where a woman had her heart cut out and I suddenly realised I was going to ask for the heart of Cinderella. I thought 'Oh my God I can't say that' and changed it."

The plot of Snow White had already been amended so that Lusardi and Kane do have plenty of scenes together, including a tango. Kane laughs and says: "I have also noticed that I hardly get to kiss Snow White at all these days."

The couple are determined to put Darlington on the map this Christmas, having agreed to make their debut as directors this year.

Kane says: "We've reached the stage in our careers where we know what works and what doesn't. We work well together and this ensures that nobody else steps on our toes."

Lusardi adds: "We're aware that it means being the first ones to arrive and leaving a bit later than anyone else."

Currently, the pair are concentrating hard with panto production company Qdos on recruiting the ideal comedy co-stars - although Sooty will be on hand to upstage the Wicked Queen and star in a traditional "pie-in-the-face" kitchen sketch. First choice would have been Civic favourite Stu Francis, but he's already been lined up by theatre rivals on Tyneside, so it's currently a question of watch this space.

Two resident comics who travel with Kane and Lusardi are son Jack, two, and daughter Lucy, aged five.

Lusardi says: "They were among the children invited up on the stage in Cardiff and Jack was potty-training at the time. When the microphone got to him, he announced 'I've been to the toilet'."

The youngsters clocked up 26 panto performances in the audience and now know every Snow White song by heart. Lusardi admits that her own acting career has been on hold until Jack and Lucy are older.

Kane, who is negotiating to star in touring musical Boogie Nights, sympathises with his wife and says: "She's been offered several good parts in touring plays, but hasn't been able to take them."

The two did star together in the C4 soap, Brookside, and are keen to tackle another TV project after Lusardi's appearance in The Bill and Kane's evil cameo as Gary Adams in Coronation Street.

That didn't stop them dressing up in full panto outfits for a rain-lashed publicity push in February - a mere 38 weeks before rehearsals begin, and £100,000 tickets have already been bought or reserved.

One piece of promotion will not be used, however. "I can't believe I saw a poster once which said 'our panto has real-life dwarfs'. I suppose it's politically correct to say our seven are vertically challenged, but I know that we'll have the best and we do like them to have a lot to do on stage," says Kane.

l Snow White is due to open on December 5. Box office: (01325) 486 555.