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South Wales born CBeebies presenter Alex Winters climbs into uniform this Christmas, playing the officious and jobsworth PC Ping in the CBeebies Panto.

The world's biggest fan of Christmas, Alex talks about his first panto experience and why he loves the festive season so much.

What can viewers expect from the panto?

Their favourite CBeebies friends, colour, music and lots of laughs and silliness!

Tell us about your character.

I play PC Ping who is as Welsh as anyone can be in pantomime. He's been a policeman in Old CBeebies town for many years, he knows how to do his job and he's at a very important time of his career because he's now got PC Pong to work with, who's a little inexperienced to be honest.

What do you love most about pantomime?

I love the predictability. We all know what panto is, we know when the songs are coming, we know when to join in. It's the atmosphere and the fun. It's just daft and you couldn't do it at any other time of year!

Can you tell us about your costume?

Oh it's beautiful. It's a lovely number, befitting his job. It's something comfortable that he can ride around in on his scooter and chase scallywags around the market place. But the highlight has to be the light on top of his very tall hat which is very important because people need to see when he's around – he's an important crimefighter you see!

What's your first panto memory?

It was Ted Rogers and Dusty Bin at the New Theatre Cardiff in, ironically, Aladdin. What I remember was one of the funny characters was squashed through a mangle and came out flat and I thought it was the most frightening and amazing thing I ever saw in my life!

Can you explain the enduring appeal of panto?

The appeal of panto is the magic. It's the lights, the effects, the characters – they're so over the top and larger than life – and for children it's just the massive rush of sound, noise, colour and music – it's just magical.

What are you doing for Christmas?

For Christmas I'm doing panto in Worthing but I'll be spending Christmas Day at home with my family, probably with me being Wishy Washy and washing the dishes. It'll just be my wife and I playing charades with our two- and four-year-old. At least I'll win!

What is your best or worst Christmas present?

My best Christmas present was probably the Scalextric I was given when I was eight or nine. I was obsessed with it. Then when I was in my twenties my Dad gave it away without consulting me and I was devastated. But then on my wedding day I was given a new one!

My worst Christmas present was actually a good present but it had bad consequences. One Christmas my sister and I were given a giant Christmas cracker which was full of Mars bars. And we thought that because we had them we had to eat them. So we ate about 16 of them and we were as sick as dogs. And to this day I cannot look at one!

What is the best thing about Christmas?

I'm not sure that there is anyone that enjoys Christmas more than me. I love the lights, I love the shopping, I love the Radio Times! I like the spirit of Christmas – you walk around, even in London, and everyone smiles. Father Christmas is around and there's just a wonderful feeling.

If ever you want anything from me, ask me at Christmas because I am in such a brilliant mood! I just love everything about Christmas, in fact your question should be what don't I like about Christmas!

Who would you most like to kiss under the mistletoe?

My wife, of course. Oh and Flavia from Strictly Come Dancing!