Former EastEnders star Cheryl Fergison has 'walked away' from a theatre job before the show even opened.
Cheryl, 58, was due to begin starring in Mum’s The Word, a comedy show about “navigating motherhood”, on 6 October.
The soap star, who recently wowed fans with her impressive weight loss, was set to be joined on stage by fellow TV stars Poppy Tierney and Sarita Plowman.
The show is still scheduled to open in Brighton before embarking on tour around the UK – but it’s now being reported that plans have been thrown into “chaos.”
A source, speaking to The Mirror, has said that Cheryl has pulled out at the last minute after suffering a “full-on breakdown.”
“Out of nowhere she had a massive breakdown and quit the show,” the source said, adding that the star had “seemed fine” earlier that day.
The insider added that the producers are “so worried for Cheryl” and are “doing their best to support her”, but that they’re conscious that the “show must go on.”
“It’s been a mad scramble to find a high-profile replacement at such short notice. The replacement has got some pretty big shoes to fill, all in under two weeks,” they said.
It’s understood that tickets will remain on sale and that the producers are planning for the show to open as planned, despite being in the midst of “crisis talks.”
OK! has reached out to Cheryl's reps for comment.
Cheryl’s reported decision to pull out of the production comes after she issued a desperate plea on behalf of her husband, Yassine El Joumi, who was caught up in the earthquake in Morocco.
Cheryl has been married to Yassine, 31, for more than a decade.
The Eastenders star said that her husband was in Morocco with family when the earthquake – which was the largest recorded in the country for more than a century – struck.
The earthquake, which had a 6.8 magnitude, was felt late on 8 September and authorities within the country say the death toll has risen to more than 3,000 in the weeks since.
Cheryl told fans that her husband and his family had been forced to evacuate their home during the disaster, and made an urgent plea to any companies that might be able to provide “sleeping equipment, tents or things for people to live in temporary shelters.”
The star even published her personal email address and urged members of the public to reach out to her directly if they’re able to help.
Cheryl also explained that she wished she was able to fly out herself, but couldn’t as a result of her work commitments.
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