A schoolgirl fulfilled her wish of appearing on the West End stage as part of a one-off Boxing Day special of Jim’ll Fix It.

Emma Bate, nine, met Kimberley Walsh from Girls Aloud, danced with Shrek, rode on the War Horse, met Billy Elliott and walked up the yellow brick road in one single day.

In her handwritten letter sent to the new host Shane Ritchie, who took over from Sir Jimmy Saville after he died in October, she said: “Please fix it for me to be a well known actress on the stage.

“I would love to take part in a proper show in the West End that people pay to see.

“It doesn’t have to be the biggest part although one day I hope to be in a starring role.

“It would be the best kind of present ever, the kind of present even Father Christmas can’t give you and he can usually do anything.”

The St Agatha’s Catholic Primary School pupil beat more than 5,000 other applicants to appear on the show where Sir Jimmy made the phrases ‘now then, now then’, ‘how’s about that then, guys and gals’ and ‘goodness gracious’.

Emma met the puppeteers who work Joey, the star of War Horse, and had a ride on him at the New London Theatre.

Then she met Adam Vesperman, a 13-year-old American playing Billy Elliott at the Victoria Palace Theatre, learned a dance routine and performed it for the show’s choreographers.

She walked up the yellow brick road with the Lion, the Scarecrow and the Tin Man, at the London Palladium where Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Wizard of Oz was playing.

Finally she met Kimberley Walsh, who is starring as Princess Fiona in Shrek at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, who told Emma she would join the cast on stage during the finale.

Without displaying any nerves, the would-be actress took to the stage and accepted a bouquet of flowers from Shrek and applause from the audience.

She said: “It’s been so exciting and I can’t believe I was lucky enough to get through.”

Jemma Harris, artistic director or The Players Academy, in Raynes Park, said: “We are so proud of Emma.

“She kept a level head but had to dash from performing in our end-of-year showcase production to a meeting with the BBC producers on the same day.

“Then she had to keep the whole thing a secret, which was no mean feat.”

Emma has been attending The Players Academy for over a year singing, dancing and acting every Saturday morning.

To find out more visit theplayersacademy.co.uk