The Grinch has taken over Christmas! Well, at least those dressing up as him have.

Simply Business, which offers insurance to cover professional Santas, told the Mail the company has seen a huge drop of 33% in policies given out this year.

Despite high demand the number of Santas has been steadily dwindling in recent years and there are believed to be a number of factors including the pandemic, retiring Santas and bigger events that require more Santas.

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But Jayne Darling, a Santa talent scout at Get Happy Entertainment, said she's seen swathes of people looking for a different kind of festive character, the Grinch.

Speaking about the increased demand for the Grinch, she said: "But the new thing is booking a Grinch, you can't go anywhere without seeing him right now. He is all over Primark and other shops and he has become so popular on social media that we are just seeing a huge spike in requests for him, particularly for work events.

"He is a harder character to cast though as you have to be funny, do the voice, know the mannerisms."

On why she thought the biggest reason for such a decline in those willing to dress up as Santa, she said: "Ultimately the pandemic had a lot to do with it because it broke the chain.

"All our regulars and those who got repeat booking had to go off and find other jobs. That meant when Covid ended they were settled elsewhere in other acting jobs or simply retired."

But, she says she has seen a rise in the number of women taking up the role: "I could have had Santa twenty times over this year. I have even seen women playing Santa because there are just not enough men wanting to do it."

Mark Roberts, a garden products owner and part-time Santa during the festive season, said: "We are absolutely seeing a shortage of Santas and it means that people are just booking anybody to be Santa, in any cheap outfit they have bought off eBay. It is terrible.

"I open up my bookings from August and I am just inundated. A few weeks ago we had a cancellation and we had over 3000 bookings coming in to fill it.

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"I am being asked to travel further and further as well for shows, I have even been asked to go up to Scotland."

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