Matt Lucas misses opening night of Me and My Girl after losing voice

Matt Lucas missed the press night of Me and My Girl last night after losing his voice, the actor confirmed on Twitter.

The Little Britain star is currently starring alongside Caroline Quentin and Clive Rowe in Daniel Evans' production of the musical at Chichester Festival Theatre, but had to withdraw from the opening night after receiving medical advice.

Lucas – who plays Bill Snibson, a cockney barrow boy who learns that he is the heir to a vast fortune – tweeted to say: "Playing Bill Snibson in Me and My Girl has always been a dream for me.

"A week ago we opened in Chichester and I've been having the time of my life. Well, tonight is press night and I should be onstage right now but… I've lost my voice

"The doc stuck a camera up my nose and down my throat this afternoon and said I mustn't speak for the next 48 hours."

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Understudy Ryan Pidgen stepped in at the last minute to take the lead, with co-star Alex Young saying: "We had our press night tonight, nervy enough for those of us who've been rehearsing our roles for seven odd weeks but tonight @ryanpidgen went on for Bill with two hours' rehearsal and blew the socks off every person in the building."

Right. Listen here. We had our press night tonight, nervy enough for those of us who've been rehearsing our roles for seven odd weeks but tonight @ryanpidgen went on for Bill – the Me of #MeAndMyGirl – with two hours' rehearsal & blew the socks off every person in the building…