Playing Tracy Beaker was an excuse to be a naughty teenager says Dani Harman, who is starring in The Wizard of Oz at the Beck Theatre.

The 27-year-old, who is currently six months pregnant, got the part of Tracy Beaker - a CBBC show based on the Jacqueline Wilson novel - when she was 12-years-old.

"It was a great, fun role to do," says Dani. "I got to hang out with people my own age, we all kind of grew up together and some of them I am still best friends with now. I got to be naughty, which I wasn’t allowed to do at home, obviously.

"Tracy Beaker is in foster care and most people who are familiar with the characters know that she is feisty and has behavioural problems. I am the complete opposite - I am a very laid-back and calm person.

"I was a really good teenager to be honest. I was more work orientated than anything else. "

The Berkshire-born actress, who was nominated for a BAFTA, adds that she owes her career "massively" to that children's TV show, saying that without it she wouldn't be here talking to me. "That show has given me some great opportunities," she tells, "I wouldn't have gone on Strictly Come Dancing, I wouldn't have done Rocky Horror - everything just snowballed from that one job really."

Speaking about her time on the BBC reality TV show, Dani says: "It was such a great and amazing experience. I was lucky, I got on really, really well with Vincent Simone, for the entire year. I just had the best time and had a great teacher, who I spent every day with for about four months. It was nerve-wracking and hard work but worth it."

The mum-to-be laughs as she adds that she often wonders how she made it all the way to the finals.

"I don’t necessarily have a dance background," she explains. "I did the odd ballet class when I was younger like every child I think. I did a bit of tap dancing as well, but I had never done any ballroom dances before so that was completely new to me.

"The outfits, the sequences were amazing and actually that was the main reason I wanted to do the show. I’m quite casual, so I don’t have things like spray tans – I didn’t really enjoy the spray tans either but I had to, because everyone else was having it done and I didn’t want to look really pale.

"I got to keep my tango and Charleston outfits that I wore on tour, which was really nice. Especially as they now hold a lot of sentimental value, so they are proudly displayed in one of my spare rooms. My favourite dance out of all of them was the Argentinian tango, because that was Vincent’s speciality and he just lights up when you talk about tango and to learn from one of the best people in the world was absolutely amazing."

When asked if she would ever do something like that again, Dani answered with a very definitive no. "I’ve done my bit now," she says, "It was really hard work and completely takes over your life for near enough half a year. It was such a great experience and opportunity and I had an absolute blast that I wouldn’t want to try and recreate that. I don’t think I would be able to top it."

Speaking about her role as Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, Dani adds that this is not the first time she has played the part - "I first did it ten years ago and quite a lot since then – I’ve lost count really. But I have done a lot of pantos in general I think since I was about seven years old."

So what does it feel like to follow Judy Garland down that Yellow Brick Road?

"Judy was a huge star and she is Dorothy. That’s it really. So you can’t really compete with that. I think it is just about trying to portray the character as best as you can when it is in a panto. In our version, all the songs are different and there’s something for everyone. They are different songs, for example there’s no Somewhere Over the Rainbow - but it's still a great laugh."

Being in her third trimester Dani admits that rehearsals and performing can be tiring now. "I think my body is kind of used to doing two shows a day, but it just so happens that I’m also growing another human being inside me. It's knackering, but I am getting there - there are a lot of sit downs in the wings, which gets me through.

"I think this will definitely be my last show. I’ve got a couple of weeks left of this tour and then I will definitely be putting my feet up for the remainder of the pregnancy. I’m really looking forward to that – particularly being waited on by my partner."

Beck Theatre, Grange Road, Hayes, April 16-17, 3pm and 7pm. Details: 0208 5618371, becktheatre.org.uk