You really have to like your job to take just five days off sick in 17 years. But as the saying goes, the show must go on.

Since 1985 that has been the mantra guiding the working life of Tim Slater, 37, who has spent almost half his life ensuring the smooth running of the Theatre Royal, Brighton.

Stars from Joan Collins and Dame Judi Dench to Leslie Nielsen and Gene Wilder have passed through the stage doors. It is fortunate, Tim says, that he is not starry-eyed.

He said: "I've met hundreds of stars, some of whom have been appearing at the theatre. But we are very popular with artists and others come to take in a performance.

"One night I might have to entertain Alan Bates, the next spend an evening with Paul Newman, Joanne Woodward and Lauren Bacall. On one occasion I ended up joining them somewhere for a meal.

"But I am really not a theatrical person. I love the entertainment world but I'm not really what you would call a luvvie.

"Most of my friends are outside the theatre. You can overdose on it if you're not careful.

"I have made lots of great friends though. Barbara Windsor is great fun and we used to go out partying quite a bit. Julian Clary is another good friend.

"Among the nicest people I've come across were Dame Judi Dench and Michael Williams, who unfortunately died not so long ago.

"One of my best memories was when we had Charlton Heston in a play here. We were at the stage door waiting to go home and he offered us a lift in his limo."

Tim first visited the theatre when he was 17 and fell in love with it instantly.

When he saw a job advert for a trainee manager at the Theatre Royal in 1985, he knew it was something he wanted to do despite initially low wages.

He knew he had made the right decision when one of his first jobs was to take Zippy and George from Rainbow to their seats to watch a show starring Joss Ackland and Bonnie Langford.

The job has certainly provided variety, from selling ice creams, working behind the bar and pricing to designing brochures and seating plans, dealing with the Press and being an usher.

He said: "I've done just about everything, including the cleaning. One time, all my six cleaners were down with a bad bout of flu so I had to clean the whole theatre myself. It took me about three hours.

"The only thing I don't do is appear on stage. I did go on once when they got all the staff to line up in evening suits to sing Magic Moments. It actually took a lot of courage for me to do that."

Tim has chosen to bow out at the end of his 17th pantomime season, the day before the current run of Peter Pan comes to an end on January 20.

He said: "I've always enjoyed pantomime season. The performers are here for six weeks and you get to know them very well. That's why I decided to finish now."