Taron Egerton will be missing a week from his West End play “Cock,” after catching COVID-19.
The Welsh actor, 32, had a bad break during the show just weeks prior to his coronavirus diagnosis. The “Rocketman” star fainted and collapsed on stage during the opening night’s live show earlier this month.
The producers announced the news in a statement on Wednesday. “Taron Egerton has unfortunately tested positive for COVID,” the statement said.
The note continued, “In accordance with the production’s health & safety protocols, he will now isolate and we expect Taron to return to the show next week.”
Egerton — who plays the character “M” in the play — will take a step back from the show with his understudy Joel Harper-Jackson to take the spot. Harper-Jackson had also filled in for the “Kingsman” star during opening night.
The play opened on March 5 and is scheduled for a 12-week run at the Ambassador Theatre in London. Following Egerton’s bout on opening night, he took to his Instagram to assure his fans and followers that he was OK.
“As some of you may have heard, I passed out during the first performance of ‘COCK’ last night,” he said at the time. “I am completely fine. Slightly sore neck and a bruised ego but I’m fine.”
The performer continued, “I’ve decided to put a positive spin on it and I would appreciate it if anyone who was in the theatre last night just said that I gave such a committed, electrifying performance that my body couldn’t handle it and checked out.”
“That being said, apparently you’re meant to actually do the full show and not just three-quarters of it. So I’ll be back with a vengeance tomorrow night,” he quipped. He also gave his gratitude to the “amazing team” behind the production and praised Harper-Jackson for taking over, writing “Joel is an amazing actor and a lovely person. Thank you Joel.”
Mike Bartlett’s 2009 play is about a gay man who questions his sexuality after he falls in love with a woman. His relationship with his longtime boyfriend (Egerton) is thrown for a loop as he tries to work through his feelings.
