ATG Productions and Mel Giedroyc have announced today that, with great sadness, Mel will no longer be able to star as The Goose in the upcoming pantomime Mother Goose.

Mel Giedroyc said: “Due to personal reasons, I have made the difficult decision to withdraw from the forthcoming production of Mother Goose. I am thankful to the producers of the show for being so understanding and wish everyone involved in the production a fantastic tour throughout the UK and Ireland. Now, more than ever we all need a bit of joy, and I can’t wait to see it myself. I know it is going to be fantastic.”

Everyone in the show sends love and best wishes to Mel and her family.

The production also stars Ian McKellen as Mother Goose, John Bishop as Vic Goose, Oscar Conlon-Morrey as Jack, Simbi Akande as Jill, Sharon Ballard as Evil Fairy Malignia and Karen Mavundukure as Good Fairy Encanta. Completing the cast are Adam Brown, Gabriel Fleary, Richard Leeming and Genevieve Nicole. Casting for the role of The Goose and further characters will be announced soon.

Mother Goose plays at the Theatre Royal Brighton from 3–11 December, before a season at the Duke of York’s Theatre in London’s West End from 15 December 2022–29 January 2023). It will then play Chichester Festival Theatre, Sheffield Lyceum, Wolverhampton Grand, Liverpool Empire, Oxford New Theatre, Bord Gais Energy Theatre Dublin, and Wales Millennium Centre Cardiff, with further venues to be announced soon.

This very special pantomime is written by Jonathan Harvey and directed by award-winning director Cal McCrystal. The production has set and costume design by Liz Ascroft, with choreography by Lizzi Gee, lighting by Prema Mehta, sound by Ben Harrison, puppet design and creation by Chris Barlow, and casting by Anne Vosser.

To book tickets for select touring venues, please click here.