TV COMIC Jim Davidson's adults-only pantomime Sinderella has been rocked by behind the scenes rows.

Cast members were seen having an angry showdown with management of the production in the bar of Southampton's Holiday Inn hotel just hours before the final two performances on Saturday night.

One performer was heard to say angrily: "We are a friend to him, he should be a friend to us."

Jim refused to discuss the spat, which is understood to revolve around dancers, instructing his spokesman to say only: "There's no business like showbusiness."

But earlier, he had a telephone rant with the Daily Echo about someone lifting the lid on the show's troubles and demanded to know who had spilled the beans.

"As if I haven't got enough problems," he said. "Whoever told you is not playing the game."

He then said he would make a full comment on what had happened, but only if we revealed who told us about the meeting at 3.30pm.

But naturally the Daily Echo refused to reveal its source.

On stage at the Mayflower Theatre in the city Jim has been more forthright and has opened up to audiences about how various members of the cast had been "chucked".

As he prepared for the last two performances of his show, in which he plays Buttons, Davidson ventured out of his suite in Southampton's De Vere Grand Harbour Hotel to say how pleased he was with the success of its five-day run.

"Everything has been fine. We have had packed houses. We had a standing ovation last night," he said proudly.

Cast members, who have now moved to Ipswich for the show's next venue, were also staying tight-lipped about the row.

One said: "I can't tell you anything, I'd get killed."

The 'cheeky chappie' previously had employment trouble in Southampton when in 2001 he swapped live music for tape recordings for his Dick Whittington pantomime, provoking an angry clash with the Musician's Union.