Local badminton star Niall getting in the panto groove

Local para-badminton world champion Niall McVeigh is ditching his racquet in favour of a microphone next month.
Niall McVeigh.Niall McVeigh.
Niall McVeigh.

The Alpha Badminton member is off to Croydon’s Ashcroft Theatre where he’ll be playing the role of Groovy the dwarf in Snow White and the Seven Dwarves.

No, you’re right, Groovy didn’t make the original cut, but then Gareth Gates wasn’t in the first script either. He’ll be starring alongside Niall as Prince Charming.

“I’ll head over next week and I’ll have two weeks of rehearsals to make sure I know all my lines,” said the 24 year-old.

“It’s just really nice to get over there and do something different and meet some new people.”

It’s all a totally different world to Niall’s usual habitat, the badminton court, where he is world number one.

He says, though, that his sport is benefitting from his spells on stage.

“I was a bit low on self-confidence and had been trying various things,” he said. “Then my friend was telling me about doing the pantos and so I decided I would give it a go last year and that was it.

“It has definitely helped me with my confidence and that’s all a big help when I come back to the badminton.”