SHIRL £100K PANTO LOSS
No fairytale ending for star
SHIRLEY Ballas has lost a
£100,000 payday after her stint in panto was axed.
The Strictly judge, 59, says she is “devastated” she will not be on stage at Blackpool Winter Gardens in Cinderella this Christmas.
Bosses were forced to cancel the production over concerns it would be a safety risk to stage it during the pandemic.
Shirley said last night: “I am devastated that I won’t be on stage in Blackpool this Christmas, but the safety of the audience, cast and crew is what’s most important.”
Shirley was due to play the Fairy Godmother in the venue’s first panto for more than
60 years. The star was set to be one of the country’s highest-paid panto stars, with a fee of more than £100,000.
A spokesman for Blackpool Winter Gardens has said the show was scrapped “with great regret and sadness”.
It is hoped the production will go ahead for Christmas 2021.
Producer Mark Goucher said: “Postponing to 2021 became the only choice, given the uncertainty that remains around live theatre in the UK, without the need for social distancing.” Shirley is still set to earn a hefty fee, however, for being on the Strictly panel this autumn.
She earns an estimated £250,000 per series as head judge.
This year’s run is still going ahead despite the coronavirus crisis.
Bosses have made a string of drastic changes to ensure it can still air, including slashing the number of episodes and cancelling the annual trip to Blackpool.
It is likely scores of other celebs will lose lucrative panto work this Christmas. Other stars who have signed up to tread the boards include former EastEnders actor Shane Richie and Dancing On Ice judge Ashley Banjo. An industry source said: “This is a nightmare for a lot of celebrities. They earn a big chunk of their income from panto. Many of them normally get six figures for just a month of performances, but this year they’ll miss out.”