Alex Gaumond to replace Rufus Hound in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels

Alex Gaumond is to replace Rufus Hound as Freddy Benson in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels from 11 November, with Hound's understudy Gavin Alex taking over from now until Gaumond takes over.

Gaumond has most recently starred in the RSC's Matilda at the Cambridge Theatre, and has also appeared in Legally Blonde and We Will Rock You. Gaumond will join the rest of the current cast, which includes Robert Lindsay as Lawrence Jameson, Bonnie Langford as Muriel Eubanks, Gary Wilmot as Andre Thibault and Katherine Kingsley as Christine Colgate.

The musical based on the 1988 film, has been running at the Savoy Theatre since February this year and has already been seen by over 200,000 people.

According to the Daily Mail, several "conflicting reasons" have been given for Hound's departure, which was announced to the cast on Tuesday.

A spokesperson for the comedian told the Mail's Baz Bamigboye that Hound "has now completed his engagement and has started filming a movie". But Bamigboye speculates that Hound's abrupt departure could be due to his poor off-stage relationship with co-star Lindsay, a suggestion that was "disputed" by the spokesperson.

Alex Gaumond's run as Freddy Benson in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, which is booking until 7 March 2015, will begin on 11 November at the Savoy Theatre.