Richard Batson Comic Peter Piper is returning to Cromer Pier to headline this summer's Seaside Special show.The funnyman, who also impressed last year with his impersonations ranging from Basil Fawlty to Ali Gee, will have a new sidekick in Scottish comedian Johnny Mack.

Richard Batson

Comic Peter Piper is returning to Cromer Pier to headline this summer's Seaside Special show.

The funnyman, who also impressed last year with his impersonations ranging from Basil Fawlty to Ali Gee, will have a new sidekick in Scottish comedian Johnny Mack.

They will be joined by two singers, a speciality act and a troupe of dancers to be selected at auditions over the coming weeks.

Each summer more than 47,000 people see the Seaside Special, which will again be devised by Di Cooke, and runs from June 21 to September 20.

But the venue plays host to 70,000 during the course of the year, through its series of other concerts which begin next month.

This year the programme included the return of ever-popular regulars, such as the That'll Be The Day touring rock show, the We'll Meet Again wartime nostalgia, and Joe Brown on his 50th anniversary tour.

But there were also some new shows, including the return of ventriloquist Steve Hewlett, who took last year's summer show by storm, for a one night stand on May 17. There were also concerts by the Fortunes, Eagles tributes band Talon, Abba act Voulez Vous, who are doing two nights, and evergreen jazz men Kenny Ball and Humphrey Lyttleton.

A revival of a couple children's shows sees the pier being invaded by the Mr Men, and Harry and his Bucketful of Dinosaurs.

Pier spokesman Bruce Stratton said the programme aimed to give a mix of show songs, rock and roll, folk, amateur dramatics, ballet, dance and comedy.

Winter shows starting in October included football raconteur Jimmy Greaves (October 10), Tucker (October 17), and the last ever Press Gang show on October 26, with a Christmas Seaside Special running from December 5-27.

FULL SUMMER PROGRAMME

March 22 - Todd Miller and the Joe Loss orchestra

March 23 - That'll Be The Day

March 26 - Mr Men and Little Miss

March 30 - Divas of Country

April 4 - Beyond the Barricade musicals show

April 6 - Memories of Made of This 1950s and 60s hits

April 12 - Mercury, Queen tribute

Aril 16 - We'll Meet Again, wartime music and comedy

April 18 - Joe Brown

April 19 - Dominic Kirwan

April 27 - Keith Loads and Friends

May 3-5 - Marlene School of Dance

May 8 - John Tams and Barry Coope folk evening

May 9-11 - Folk on the Pier Festival

May 16 - Chas and Dave

May 17 - Steve Hewlett

May 18 - Unforgettable Nat King Cole story

May 24-31 - Barnum, am dram musical

July 6 - Talon - Best of the Eagles

July 13 - Fortunes

July 20 - Kenny Ball

July 21 - In Dreams including Roy Orbison and Buddy Holly music

July 27 - Con and Dec, the Bachelors

July 28 - Phantom and the musicals

August 3 - The Elvis Collection

August 4 - Ultimate 60s show

August 10 - That'll Be The Day

August 11 - Magic - a kind of Queen

August 17 - Pasadena Roof Orchestra

August 18 - Searchers

August 24-25 - Voulez Vous

August 31-September 1 - Rockin on Heaven's Door

September 7 - T.Rextasy

September 14 - Raymond Froggatt

September 21 - Humphrey Lyttleton

September 25 - Cannon and Ball

September 27 - Syd Lawrence Orchestra

September 28 - Marty Wilde

Tickets and more information from the box office 01263 512495, www.cromer-pier.com