Virgin River star totally unrecognisable in Netflix Christmas movie | TV & Radio | Showbiz & TV

Virgin River icon Alexandra Breckenridge is completely unrecognisable in the first-look at a heartwarming and hilarious new Christmas romance coming to Netflix.

Releasing to the streaming platform on 3rd December, the new film from the director of the Princess Switch trilogy Mike Rohl stars the Mel Monroe actress as single mum Taylor, who’s desperate to make her daughter’s holiday wishes come true.

In order to make some extra money to afford Christmas this year, she decides to suit up as Santa Claus, complete with an eerily convincing mask and fake beard, to entertain vacationing families at her local luxury ski lodge.

However, she finds herself in a sticky situation when sparks start flying between her and the lodge’s handsome manager, played by Ryan Eggold.

Hallmark and Netflix Christmas film experts Ron Oliver and Carley Smale are penning the script, so expect plenty of seasonal cheer and hijinks when the film drops during the run-up to the holidays.

A first-look at the film reveals Breckenridge as her usual smiley self when she’s out of the Santa garb.

But not even the most eagle-eyed Virgin River fans could identify her when the actress dons her St Nick disguise, as she’s totally obscured by a rosy-cheeked mask and candyfloss-soft white hair.

Speaking to Entertainment Weekly about the role, Breckenridge admitted she found the Santa disguise, which took over three hours to apply, “very uncomfortable”.

“It was a lot,” she recalled. “I’m not going to lie to you. It’s hard to get into prosthetics.

“I had never done something like that before, and I was excited because it’s not very often that a woman gets to play something like this.”

Thankfully, she was able to rise to the challenge, looking to Tim Allen’s iconic The Santa Clause movies for inspiration.

“It scared me to death,” she admitted. “But I was like, ‘I have to do this because this is actually why I became an actress. If I don’t meet my fear head on, what am I doing?'”

Breckenridge went on to describe both the prosthetics and suit as “extraordinarily uncomfortable”, even needing to wear ice packs under Santa’s iconic red suit.

However, the Virgin River legend also described the process as “the most fun I have had working in years”, adding the performance was a “real treat” to pull off.

Described as a festive Mrs Doubtfire, Virgin River fans and Christmas enthusiasts alike should all make sure they’re adding this uplifting holiday rom-com to their Netflix watchlists.

My Secret Santa premieres Wednesday, 3rd December on Netflix.