Sheridan Smith pulls out of Royal Variety Performance after her 'much loved' father dies
Sheridan Smith has pulled out of this year’s Royal Variety Performance following the news of the death of her father.
A representative for Smith announced the news and asked that fans ‘respect her privacy’.
“Sheridan's much loved father sadly passed away this week,” the statement read. “We can confirm that she will not be performing at the Royal Variety Performance this Tuesday 6th December.
“At this difficult time for Sheridan and her family we would ask that you please respect their privacy.”
Smith revealed her father Colin had been diagnosed with cancer earlier this year after she pulled out of a performance of West End musical, Funny Girl.
After being insulted by a fan on Twitter for her absence, Smith wrote: “If you just found out your dad had cancer you wouldn’t be such a heartless human. Take care love (sic).”
The message came hours after she had posted: “Had s*** news today, sorry I can’t make the show for you loyal fans. If you ask they give u tickets to the Savoy (sic)!”
Smith went on to take a two month break from the musical in May to recover from stress and exhaustion.
The Gavin and Stacey actress lost her brother Julian to cancer when she was eight years old.
The Cilla actress opened up about his death when she played breast cancer sufferer Lisa Lynch in ITV drama The C Word.
Funny Girl Press Night & Party
She said at the time: “Of course I’ve been affected by my brother’s death… It makes me value life, cherish my loved ones and be grateful for every day I have with them.
“Cancer affects one in three of us and every single one of us either knows someone who has been affected by it or has experienced it first-hand. And yet it’s treated as a taboo subject.
“It’s never on telly. We should talk about it. It’s a hideous disease and we need to try to fight it.”
The Royal Variety Performance is on ITV on December 13.
David Walliams will host the annual event which will see performances from Gary Barlow, Sting, previews of Gershwin's musical An American in Paris and a selection of magic tricks by Britain's Got Talent winner Lance Corporal Richard Jones.
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