TV STARS The Chuckle Brothers launched their next pantomime season yesterday with the news that they are close to clinching a movie deal.

Paul and Barry, real name Elliott, have a meeting with film-makers next week in the hopes of moving Chucklevision from Children's BBC to the big screen.

Barry said: "We've always wanted to do a film because some of our older fans think they are too old to watch our shows."

The popularity of the pair is so great that Darlington's Civic Theatre has already taken £115,000 in advance sales for its next pantomime, Aladdin, with two days already sold out. Last year's pantomime did not go past that kind of figure until October.

Aladdin is making showbiz history on the stage with real-life brothers Paul, 53, and Barry, 56, agreeing to star alongside their two other brothers Jimmy, 69, and Brian, 67, for the first time in panto.

Jimmy and Brian are the double act, The Patton Brothers, and will play Widow Twankey and the chief of police. The scriptwriters have torn up the Aladdin script and made the Wishee Washee character two people so that there are main roles for all four brothers.

Aladdin starts its run on December 5. For ticket details call (01325) 486555.