Dame Edna designer 'knocked out' by Christmas show

A designer who created costumes for Dame Edna Everage and Cilla Black says he was "knocked out by the glamour and the glitz" of a popular Christmas show.

Stephen Adnitt said he had no idea what to expect when he was recruited to work on the Thursford Christmas Spectacular in Norfolk.

The variety show, featuring singing, dancing, music and comedy, has taken place in the village of Thursford since 1977 and attracts visitors from across the UK.

Mr Adnitt said he immediately fell in love with "the bizarre way it's in the middle of nowhere".

Now in his 13th year of designing costumes for the show, he always attends one of the performances once the entertainment is in full swing.

"It's great seeing it anew with an actual audience that are really warm and Christmassy," he said.

"It's lovely to see them appreciate what you've done."

To create the costumes, he discusses ideas with producer John Cushing.

"Music often dictates what you're going to do," he said. "Sometimes you have an idea - I don't know where it comes from, but thank God, it comes from somewhere - and you go on from there."

Mr Adnitt begins drawing designs in June, then works with the costume makers to bring them to life, with fittings held in September.

With 130 cast members to dress, he said it is "all systems go" ahead of final rehearsals in October.

The length of the show, which runs from early November until December 23, means the maintenance of the costumes is a "full-time job in itself".

Mr Adnitt studied fashion design at the Royal College of Art in London but said he really wanted to "do the glamour and the glitz and always leaned towards entertainment".

Mr Adnitt started designing costumes at London Weekend Television in the late 1980s, working with ice dancers Torvill and Dean. It was there he started designing for singer Cilla Black, and Barry Humphries' character Dame Edna Everage.

"We got on extremely well, so I carried on for over 30 years doing their things," he said.

His favourite Dame Edna dress depicted Edvard's Munch's 'The Scream' painting - it sold at auction for £44,100 in February 2025.

The London-based designer added: "People often ask where you get your inspiration from. I used to get asked a lot for Dame Edna for that, but it's teamwork and it's working with people.

"The show's got bigger and bigger over the years, which means more to do, and more sparkle - you can never have enough sparkle."

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