Darcey Bussell to chair Plymouth Theatre Royal board

Dame Darcey Bussell said she had established a new base in Plymouth

Ex-Strictly judge Dame Darcey Bussell DBE will become the first female chair of the board of trustees at Theatre Royal Plymouth (TRP).

Dame Darcey, who was principal of the Royal Ballet for nearly 20 years, will take over from Nick Buckland OBE.

She said she and her husband had "established a new base in Plymouth" over the last few months.

But Dame Darcey said she had known of the theatre "and its excellence" for a long time.

The former judge on BBC's Strictly Come Dancing said she first danced at the theatre 30 years ago.

Dame Darcey said she had known of the theatre's "excellence" for a long time

Dame Darcey thanked Mr Buckland, who steps down after 13 years, for his "exceptional leadership", which had taken the theatre on a "bold and ambitious path to augment its position as one of the country's leading theatres".

"TRP is the beating heart of Plymouth, a city whose future is very bright indeed and I am excited about playing my part," she added.

James Mackenzie-Blackman, chief executive and executive producer, said Dame Darcey was a "true embodiment" of the theatre's values and thanked Mr Buckland for his "exceptional long-standing leadership".

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