Rapper Vanilla Ice is hoping to Hook audiences when he appears in pantomime in Chatham.

The Ice, Ice Baby star will take centre stage in this year's production of Peter Pan at the Central Theatre.

Ice - real name Robert Matthew Van Winkle - will play Captain Hook in his first pantomime.

The American rose to fame with his iconic 1991 hip hop hit Ice, Ice Baby.

Ice, pictured left, was also a contestant on this year's Dancing on Ice and will appear in the UK tour of the programme in April.

He will play pirate villain Captain Hook when Peter Pan starts at the Central Theatre on Friday, December 9. The show will run until Monday, January 2.

Central Theatre general manager Tony Hill said: "Over the past few years we have had some great names at our pantomimes.

"Ice is a huge name who I am sure will be a real draw for parents and children alike because of his musical and film career as well as his appearance on Dancing on Ice.

"Vanilla Ice has never performed in a pantomime before, but I am sure that he will go down as a hit."

Ice is no stranger to acting, having starrred in his film Cool as Ice in 1991 before playing himself in the movie Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze in the same year.

He is also filming this year for a major American motion picture and has taken part in numerous reality TV programmes.

Ice has rarely been out of the limelight since he started out as a rapper in the 1990s, with his other tracks including Play That Funky Music and Cool as Ice.
Ironically, his first album was called Hooked.

Last year, he was a special musical guest at the National Television Awards, performing with Jedward for their remix and debut single Under Pressure (Ice Ice Baby).

Ice also recorded this for the album Planet Jedward and appeared in the music video.