Funny Girl producers release statement regarding Sheridan Smith

Twitter has been awash today with an outpouring of support for Funny Girl star Sheridan Smith, amidst a barrage of complaints the actress received when she pulled out of a performance last night.

The actress tweeted to say that she had received bad news – thought to be about the illness of her father – and that she would not be appearing in that evening's performance. Smith then replied to numerous fans offering to pay for their travel and tickets for a future performance when the show transfers to the Savoy Theatre later this year.

A spokesperson for the production said today: "Our priority at this time is to Sheridan and her family. Sheridan's primary concern is quite rightly her father's wellbeing, and we support her wholeheartedly.

"We would never ask nor expect an artist to perform in this situation, and ask that you respect her and her family's privacy at this time. She will not be performing in Funny Girl this evening, and we will take each day as it comes. Tonight’s performance of Funny Girl will go ahead with her understudy Natasha J Barnes."

They went on to explain that patrons who have tickets to any of the affected performances at the Menier would be entitled to change their booking for a later date at the Savoy. Tickets will be subject to availability and patrons should contact the Menier to make arrangements.

Funny Girl runs at the Menier Chocolate Factory until 5 March before transferring to the Savoy from 9 April.