Pantomime dame Rob looking forward to Carnival Queen duties - oh yes he is!

Rob Ives, 48, hot off the trail of his role as the Wicked Stepmother, the Baroness of Trusthorpe in Cinderella, has been named as this year’s Carnival Queen.

He said that he was “overwhelmed” when carnival committee chairman Stuart Martin asked him to take on the role, and that his appointment would be great for diversity in the area.

"I really wasn’t expecting to be offered the role at all, and it’s really fantastic and I’ve had a lot of warmth and love from the people that know me, saying go for it,” he said.

Stuart said that when the committee saw Rob’s performance in the panto, they thought he’d be great for the role of carnival queen.

"He really embraces his role as a dame and he’s always such great fun,” he said, "There’s an ageing population here in Sutton on Sea and we were struggling for young ladies and gentlemen to take on the role and as there’s a shortage of schools round here, we decided to ask Rob to take on the part and he readily agreed to it.”

Rob was crowned as the 2024 Carnival Queen on February 16 and will be taking on his first official engagement on April 1 at Sutton on Sea’s dog show, closely followed by May Day celebrations.Stuart said that Rob taking on the role is also a great way to embrace the diversity that Sutton on Sea is well known for, and as the theme for this year's event is Fantastical Steampunk, Rob’s flamboyant personality was a “great fit":

“It’s going to be great having Rob as our queen, he’s such a fabulous flamboyant character and as he runs the LGBTQ+ group here in Sutton, it’s a great thing to have our queen such a part of our community.

"Some people don’t totally agree with [Rob’s appointment] but you’re never going to please everyone and my job is to make it happen every year – it’s been a tradition here for so many years, and we hope we can carry this on into the future.”

Rob has extended his thanks to everyone for all the positivity surrounding his appointment as carnival queen:

"I’m looking forward to us all having fun, smiling, and taking life a little less seriously for a few years,” he added, “Much love to all.”

This year’s Sutton on Sea and Trusthorpe Carnival is set to take place on July 28, with the theme of ‘Fantastical Steampunk’. Full details will be revealed at a later date.

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