THE legendary Henry Winkler has arrived in Liverpool – minus the iconic leather jacket that shot him to fame as The Fonz, in Happy Days.

The American star arrived on Sunday and has already slipped into his crushed velvet outfit and grabbed his swashbuckling sword as he rehearses for the Empire’s Christmas Panto – Peter Pan.

He said: “This is my fourth time as Hook, the first time was very scary and I didn’t know what a pantomime was.

“I always play Captain Hook, if I was in Cinderella I would be the King and have about three lines to say. But as Hook I get to play with a sword, wear crushed velvet and lose weight at the same time.”

Peter Pan opens on December 11 and after just one day’s rehearsal with Atomic Kitten Natasha Hamilton as Peter Pan he is convinced the show will be a big hit.

He said: “I love Peter Pan, it’s joyful, it’s fun. Playing the captain is so much fun, he’s a really wonderful character. he goes from being silly to funny.

“Acting on stage is about making the audience laugh and Peter Pan is a story that’s bent to the left.

“Natasha is going to be an unbelievably great Peter Pan, and Les Dennis (panto dame), well, I haven’t met him yet because he was getting married, I’ll meet him Friday so he’s a slacker.”

Since taking centre stage as the Fonz, in the long-running US sitcom, Henry has continued his acting, written children’s books and become an ambassador for reading.

And 50 years after he first visited Liverpool, Henry said he was loving being back in the home of The Beatles.

He said: “I came here when I was 14 but I don’t remember the city, so now I’ve got to experience Liverpool properly.

“Everyone is so unbelievably warm. I’ve seen the penguins, I even asked one a date, but when I get more time I hope to tour the city.

“And on Sunday I’m watching the derby game, I've been asked by a man called Bill to go in a box.”