A HUGE US star has sparked concern as they pull out of headline slot at a major UK festival just hours before his scheduled performance due to illness.
American actor and performer Billy Porter has been forced to cancel his headline show at Manchester’s Pride festival after falling ill just hours before he was due to take to the stage.
Billy Porter has sparked concern as they pull out of headline slot at a major UK festival[/caption]
Manchester / UK – August 24 2019: People celebrate during Manchester Pride, one of the UK’s largest Gay Pride events including a parade and live music events throughout bank holiday weekend in August.[/caption]
A statement shared by the event’s organisers on Saturday afternoon confirmed that Billy would no longer be appearing at Saturday’s event.
The post read: “We’re sad to share that Billy Porter will no longer be able to perform at Mardi Gras today due to illness. We know many of you were looking forward to their set as as we were. Get well soon Billy, love from the Manchester Pride Team.”
Billy was due to headline the Saturday night of the world famous event.
It’s thought that former Little Mix singer Leigh Anne Pinnock, who was due to perform her set before Billy, will now take on the headline slot.
Years & Years frontman Olly Alexander and A-list Canadian pop star Nelly Furtado are due to headline the event on Sunday.
Billy, 55, is known across the globe for his roles in a number of Hollywood movies including Cinderella, The Humbling and The Hunger Games.
He is also an acclaimed Broadway performer and has won a number of Tony and Critics Circle awards for his roles in hit shows including Kinky Boots and Cabaret.
In 2019, Billy made history when he became the first black gay man to win the Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor for his role in long running US TV series Pose.
The post continued: “The good news is, the weekend is still stacked with incredible performances from Ghetto Fabulous, Gok Wan and the brilliant Leigh-Anne, and we can’t wait to see you there.
“With over 120 artists across 6 stages, it’s going to be a weekend full of unforgettable music, performance and energy.
“Thanks for your understanding and for being part of the Manchester Pride community. We can’t wait to celebrate with you.”
Billy has pulled out just hours before his scheduled performance due to illness[/caption]