Jimmy Osmond has a stroke on stage as panto Captain Hook
JIMMY Osmond was diagnosed with a stroke after ‘pushing through’ to finish a pantomime performance in his role as Captain Hook, it was revealed last night.
The American, 55, had felt unwell during the two hours and 25 minuteslong show, but managed to complete it – and even signed autographs afterwards – before going to hospital.
The father of four, who found fame as a child star in the Seventies as the youngest member of The Osmonds, was appearing in Peter Pan at the Birmingham Hippodrome.
His diagnosis was only announced yesterday when it also emerged that he will be unable to perform again in the panto, scheduled to run until January 27.
Last night a spokesman for Osmond confirmed: ‘On the evening of Thursday, December 27, after pushing through the evening’s performance, Jimmy Osmond was driven straight to hospital and diagnosed with a stroke.
‘He is grateful for all the well wishes and will be taking time out in the New Year.’
Osmond previously suffered a stroke 15 years ago when he was 40. He later told the Mail how he had started having ‘visionblurring headaches after months of working hard’. He said: ‘My wife Michelle took me to hospital and it was discovered I’d had a stroke – I didn’t have high cholesterol, high blood pressure or any other warning sign. An ultrasound scan showed I had a hole in my heart the size of a pound coin, which had contributed to the stroke because when my body was under stress, it was sending little blood clots up to my brain.’
The panto, which opened on December 19 and also features Kumars actress Meera Syal as a Magical Mermaid, was nine days into its run and Osmond had been performing in matinee and evening shows. Including classic hits by The Osmonds, such as Crazy Horses reworded as Crazy Pirates, it has earned rave reviews from critics. One called it ‘magical, mystical and mind-blowing’.
Yesterday, the Birmingham Hippodrome’s artistic director and chief executive Fiona Allan said: ‘Everyone here at Birmingham Hippodrome has been deeply saddened to hear of Jimmy’s sudden illness. He won the adoration not just of our audiences, but also of all our staff – we all send Jimmy and his family very best wishes...’
It was in 1972 that ‘Little’ Jimmy Osmond topped the charts for five weeks – aged just nine – with Long Haired Lover From Liverpool.
In recent years he has appeared on I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here and other reality TV shows. Last night, loyal fans of The Osmonds sent their best wishes for his recovery via social media.
It was also announced yesterday that actor and singer Darren Day will replace Osmond as Hook from later this week.
Osmond’s understudy, Luke Redford, will continue to cover the role while Day prepares.
Also sending his best wishes last night was Kumars actor Sanjeev Bhaskar, husband of Meera Syal. He wrote on Twitter: ‘This New Year’s Eve, sending very best wishes and speedy recovery to Jimmy Osmond – he was customarily lovely and warm to us after a rip-roaring performance at Brum Hippodrome panto and soldiered through the next performance despite feeling unwell. A gentleman and a pro!’
‘He is grateful for all the well wishes’