Coronation Street's serial killer actor Todd Boyce talks about his first panto in Derbyshire, working with Kylie Minogue and Nicole Kidman and playing his dream role

The reign of terror is over for serial killer Stephen Reid in Coronation Street. Actor Todd Boyce is pictured with Ryan Russell (who plays Michael Bailey), Tina O'Brien (Sarah Barlow), Joe Duttine (Tim Metcalfe), Sally-Ann Matthews (Jenny Connor), Alison King (Carla Connor), Chris Gascoyne (Peter Barlow) and Audrey Roberts (Sue Nicholls). Photo courtesy of ITV.

But there's no rest for the wicked. As one door closes, another one opens to present actor Todd Boyce with another villainous role.

Todd has been cast as baddie Demon Vanity in the Mother Goose panto in Derby this Christmas. He said: "This is my very first panto and I'm really looking forward to it. I don't think there can be anything more fantastic that the connection with a live audience, particularly since I've being doing television for a year and a half solid.

“I've absolutely loved playing Stephen Reid. I first played him for a year in 1996, so it's very close to my heart. It's been a joy to have this long experience with one character.The worst part is I think I've broken all records for the largest number of episodes in a single 12-month period and that's been gruelling."

Todd Boyce is cast as Demon Vanity in the panto Mother Goose which will be staged at Derby Arena (photo: Robert Day)

Todd is looking forward to spending the festive season in Derby and getting to know Derbyshire. He said: "I'm told there's some beautiful pubs around the place and I'm looking forward to getting out into the countryside and going for drives.

"I filmed a MIss Marple called 'They do it with mirrors' with the famous Gene Simmons and Joss Ackland in the Derbyshire countryside in the summer of 1991. Outside Derby, in a beautiful big old mansion with a vast sort of orangery and grounds. It was my first large shoot and my first experience filming around a big country estate and I loved it."

Todd, who has lived in London since 1989, has an exciting time ahead of him. The plum part of Demon Vanity leads on to another of his dream roles. He said: "I've always admired the play 'Sleuth’ and I'm going to play Andrew Wyke - it's a great joy to just be offered a part that Laurence Olivier did so well. I start the play a week afer Derby, on January 8, in Windsor till the end of June and I'm looking forward to it enormously.”

On screen, Todd has been cast alongside some huge names including Kylie Minogue and Nicole Kidman. He said: "Kylie was brilliant, I played one of her best mates in The Delinquents. I've seen Kylie since over the years, and every time we share that shoot in common in Far North Queensland and that experience and I adore her.” Todd played a young soldier in the 1987 television series Vietnam which took him into the orbit of Nicole. He said: “We've since bumped into each other and she's always just gorgeous. If we met in the street tomorrow, we'd have a real gas and a real laugh and a good catch-up."

Tim Metcalfe fell victim of Stephen Reid's brutality in Coronation Street when the suspicious taxi driver found the body of one of the serial killer's casualties in the canal (photo: ITV)

Apart from playing Stephen Reid which he rates among his favourite roles, Todd also has a fondness for the character Bobby Jefferson which he played in the E4 comedy Beaver Falls. Todd said: "He was a bit neurotic and crazy and he was this kind of stern owner of a summer camp for children. That was great fun."

Mother Goose is at Derby Arena from December 8 to 31. Tickets cost from £19 to £30; go to www.derbylive.co.uk