Derek Jacobi and Diana Rigg to lead the cast of A Christmas Carol Goes Wrong

The theatrical farce, a follow up to last year’s Peter Pan Goes Wrong, will once again see the 'Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society' take on a screening of one of their productions - with disastrous results.

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It is due to air over the Christmas period.

Jacobi, the star of a range of TV and film hits as well as BBC drama Last Tango in Halifax, will play the famous miser Ebenezer Scrooge in the BBC’s ‘professional’ production of A Christmas Carol.

Diana Rigg is playing the aunt of Sandra, one of the Cornley Drama Society crew, and will also step in as the narrator. Her character will be seen racing against the clock to make it to the recording before the curtains close.

The brains behind the show is the Olivier Award-winning Mischief Theatre Company, the outfit behind The Play That Goes Wrong and The Comedy About A Bank Robbery in the West End. But they are set to become a BBC Christmas fixture.

“A Christmas Carol Goes Wrong was already shaping up to be a seasonal highlight but with Sir Derek Jacobi and Dame Diana Rigg joining the cast it’s an unmissable television event," said BBC comedy controller Shane Allen. "Let’s hope nothing goes wrong.”

Jacobi, who also portrayed Dickens in the 2007 film The Riddle, said: “It’s always a delight to be reacquainted with Dickens and A Christmas Carol is emblematic of this time of year. I hear that last year’s festive theatre production was an all-out shambles, but thankfully the BBC has called in the professionals for this one…”

Diana Rigg said: “I can’t wait to bring merriment and mischief to audiences this Christmas, with the wonderful Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society. And I have also been entrusted with another very important job – all will be revealed soon but let’s just say hearts will be warmed this winter!”