Pamela Anderson tells Laura Davis about her art collection, animal rights and missing Christmas with her sons

IT MUST have been hard for visitors to the National Gallery to choose what to admire first. Not often does this collection of stunning art works have to compete for attention with a world-famous fashion designer and an ex-Baywatch beauty.

An impromptu tour of the gallery given by Vivienne Westwood is one of Pamela Anderson’s favourite memories of visiting the UK.

“I love art and I love collecting art,” says the 43-year-old, who will be turning heads as Aladdin’s genie in this year’s Liverpool Empire panto.

“Some of my favourite pieces are from (Richard) Prince, (Mika) Rottenberg. I love photography and, of course, David LaChapelle.

“I love the museums here. So much culture and very interesting, meaningful pieces of art.”

Perhaps the Playboy Playmate will be heading straight for Tate Liverpool or the Walker when she arrives in the city in December. After a local pub that is – which she revealed, at a press conference here in the summer, would be her first stop.

This time, she is answering my questions in the car on the way to Oxford University, where she is due to address the students’ union.

“I was in Liverpool very briefly but didn’t see very much,” she says.

“I really look forward to discovering more about the Liverpudlians and the town.”