Veteran actor Brian Blessed has had to pull out of performances at Colchester's Mercury Theatre.

Following a bravura performance on Wednesday night in Wilkie Collins' Haunted Hotel, Thursday night's second show was cancelled after he was taken ill with a chest infection.

Mercury box office staff were informed just after 5pm yesterday that he could not go on stage and so had the task of informing the more than 370 people due to attend that the show would not go on.

A spokesman for the Colchester theatre said: "Brian Blessed is unwell and has been advised by doctors to withdraw from the remaining performances of The Haunted Hotel at the Mercury.

"The show will continue from today with an understudy playing Mr Blessed's role."

He added customers who had booked for last night's performance would be accommodated at other shows during the Colchester run.

Published Friday September 10, 2004

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