YOU have to do a double take when told by a panto and musical theatre star they're set to hang up their fairy princess costume and go back to the world of reality.

Jenny Douglas is the current star of the King's Theatre panto, Aladdin, playing the beautiful Princess Jasmine.

But she reveals she's now looking to go to college and gain a Master's Degree in Musical Theatre.

"I feel I want to learn," says the 22-year-old. "I've had lost of experience these past few years, but I think I want to carry on with my education.

"It's not that I don't think I'm any good at what I do, but I feel I could learn more. And that will help me when I get back to performing."

The saucer-eyed blonde adds, laughing: "I've got two left feet, so at least I may learn what to do with my right one."

Jenny was in her final year of high school when she realised she wanted to pursue a career in musical theatre.

"I was 17, and while I'd always liked to sing and dance I hadn't thought about musicals.

"Then I realised that's what I wanted to do so I signed up to study Musical Theatre at Motherwell College, and planned to stay the course."

However, four months in, Jenny's life took a dramatic turn. She became one of the final 10 girls selected for Andrew Lloyd Webber's search for Dorothy, in the BBC1 series Over The Rainbow.

She said: "The college had encouraged us to go to auditions and I couldn't believe it when I was chosen.

"It all happened for me and before I knew it I was like Dorothy, caught up in a whirlwind. Instead of training for four years at Motherwell I found myself in musical theatre - and living in London."

Jenny's Dorothy profile saw her catch the attention of West End theatre producers and she was hired to star in the touring production of We Will Rock You.

"I was a grungy, aggressive Scottish hard case," she recalls.

"And I loved it."

It was an incredible experience and she learned "a tremendous amount of knowledge about how the industry works."

But since then she's been pipped at the post for several major productions such as Mama Mia!

"I feel I'm the bridesmaid and not the bride," she says. "After the Dorothy experience I felt I learned on the job. I was a fish out of water, and I had to watch and learn.

"I'm quick to pick up things. But at the same time, I feel there's lots I don't know."

She adds, grinning; "I've also got a tremendous amount of rejection experience.

"That's why going back to college in Glasgow could help me. It could help round me off."

Jenny, who grew up in Edinburgh, also wants to be trained in straight acting.

"I want to learn to act for TV and film," she says.

"And when I was in London, and not on stage, I worked as a teaching assistant looking after children with special needs. I'd love to go up for jobs working as a children's TV presenter."

Meantime, Jenny is thrilled to be back in Scotland and to be a part of Aladdin, working with the likes of Karen Dunbar, Des Clarke, Gavin Mitchell and John Ramage.

"I was really homesick living in London these past couple of years, and it's fantastic to come back to Glasgow.

"Doing panto here is the best thing ever. And at the risk of sounding cheesy like Dorothy in Over The Rainbow, there really is no place like home. And I get the chance to see the family."

She adds; "What I also love about panto is the impact it has on kids. When you get little girls come up to you at the stage door, when you're still in costume and tell you they love the Princess it's just amazing."

Jenny wants to carry on working and appearing in panto while back at college.

"It's just so much fun," she enthuses.

"But I feel if I really want to go to the ball on a regular basis, the musical theatre ball that is, perhaps it's time to go off and learn a little bit more."

lAladdin is at the King's Theatre until December 30.