Icon, diva and Newcastle legend - Miss Rory to mark 20 years in showbiz with spectacular show

Icon, legend, diva are just three words that have been used to describe Miss Rory and now the grand dame of Newcastle nightlife and the self confessed 'people's princess' is ready to mark 20 years in showbiz with a spectacular show at the Tyne Theatre.

If you were a regular on the city's gay scene back in the mid 00s you'll have seen a young drag queen often behind the decks in The Bank or joining forces with fellow Tyneside drag royalty Ophelia B and Vicky Paris in the Drag Follies. Well that young queen was one Miss Rory and flash forward to today and not only is she the resident compere at the place still rated as the 'number one night out' in Newcastle and an in demand pantomime star, but she is now gearing up to take over the Tyne Theatre once again, to mark two decades of living, laughing and loving.

Still working in Debenhams when she first cut her teeth on Newcastle's nightlife, Miss Rory was given an opportunity too good to turn down when, in 2010, she was approached to take on the role of hostess the mostest at glamourous new cabaret club Boulevard and, the lady herself credits that job with really helping her star to rise.

READ MORE: Olly Alexander gets UK Eurovision huge odds boost as rehearsal causes stir

Get all the latest TV and showbiz news and gossip from Chronicle Live with our free newsletter..

"That really changed everything for me," she told ChronicleLive backstage at the Tyne Theatre, the famous venue that's sure to be packed by the time she takes the stage for TWENTY on Saturday, May 18. Get your tickets HERE.

"Taking the job at Boulevard and leaving my 'normal' one behind was a bit surreal to be honest, but a chance I just couldn't miss out on really. Nobody had a clue just how Boulevard would do or how long it would last, but we're still there nearly 14 years later!"

To some people, Miss Rory will forever and always be the face of Drag Idol and the reason they head along to the Sunday night heats every year, while to others she'll be the person that's left them on the receiving end of her cutting critiques in Boulevard or the resident dame at Sunderland Empire at Christmas, a role which she is happy to admit has been a 'dream come true.'

In 2016, Miss Rory took a big leap of faith by branching out into the realms of stand up, with any concerns over whether there'd be an audience for it quickly put to bed, when she sold out the Tyne Theatre with debut solo revue One Woman. Since then, the likes of What's Up Hun, Land of Hope & Rory and Winging It have followed, each earning rave reviews.

While Miss Rory is known for her quick whit and at times, acid tongued delivery, her shows and humour are always deep rooted in one thing - her love for the North East and its people. "There really is no point in being nasty to people in the audience - they pay your wages! That would just be bullying. I'm never vicious....unless provoked!

"I love the North East, I'm so proud to be from here, it's an amazing place and I think we have a common sense of humour."

As well as being an undeniably strong presence on stage, Miss Rory has also been keen to do her bit away from the spotlight, becoming the patron of several charities, with her explaining: "I've got a voice, I've got a platform and I'm fortunate to use it to help highly valuable causes. There are some many people out there doing great things."

And as for what people can expect on May 18, she teased: "Everything is covered and no subjects are off the menu. As with everything we do at the Tyne Theatre, it's a proper spectacular. It'll be a feast for all of the senses."