Jo drops out of Gilbert & Sullivan tour

Jo Brand has dropped out of the forthcoming tour of The Pirates of Penzance to concentrate on her TV work.

The comic had been scheduled to reprise her role of sergeant of police in the Gilbert and Sullivan comic operetta, which she performed in the West End last year.

But now she has pulled out of the Carl Rosa Opera tour so she can co-write the new series of Getting On, her hospital-set comedy which was recommissioned this week.

The company said Brand was ‘very sorry about any inconvenience’ her decision may cause.

The role will be taken by Scottish comic Karen Dunbar in Richmond next month and Glasgow in November, while Paul Nicholas, from Eighties sitcom Just Good Friends, takes the role in Chichester in October.

Published: 21 Aug 2009