Sheridan Smith pulls out of Funny Girl play for third consecutive night
The actress has apologised to ticketholders
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Your support makes all the difference.Sheridan Smith has pulled out of her West End performance in Funny Girl for the third consecutive night after saying she is not strong enough.
After the Bafta awards, the press suggested the 34-year-old actress was disappointed to lose out on the best actress award for her role as cancer blogger Lisa Lynch in the C Word. Smith subsequently accused the press of “bullying”.
“When will u stop bullying? I had the best night in memory of my girl @LisaLynch,” she wrote on Twitter.
The Savoy theatre later issued a statement explaining that Smith was “indisposed” and would be replaced with her understudy Natasha Barnes.
Smith apologised to ticketholders for her decision to stand down. “Well done press! U let down me, the cast & everyone who spent money to see me. I apologise profusely! Sorry! Sorry, I’m not strong enough!” Smith wrote.
On Monday, Smith replied to trolls who rebuked her for pulling out of her performance. “Sat behind your computer u little geek, love to see what u look like. Come say your s*** to my face & let’s see what happens,” she wrote.
Smith has since made her Twitter account private.
Last month, Funny Girl was stopped after 15 minutes following allegations she had been slurring her words and was drunk on stage. After a 40-minute delay theatre staff cancelled the show citing technical difficulties. At the time, her spokesperson said this was “categorically not true”.
Baftas host Graham Norton’s opening speech at the award ceremony appeared to mock Smith. “We’re all excited for a couple of drinks tonight. Or, as it’s known in theatrical circles, a few glasses of ‘technical difficulties’.”
A representative for Smith declined to comment.
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