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Rocketman star collapses on stage, mid-performance

Egerton and Sir Elton John together in 2019.

Egerton and Sir Elton John together in 2019. Photo: Getty

Taron Egerton has reassured fans he is ā€œcompletely fineā€ after fainting during the first night of his new West End play.

The Rocketman star, 32, is starring alongside Jonathan Bailey in a revival of Mike Bartlett’s 2009 play Cock at London’s Ambassadors Theatre.

During Saturday night’s first preview, he fainted on stage and was attended to by a doctor in the audience.

Egerton’s understudy Joel Harper-Jackson stepped in and the cast were able to finish the play.

Egerton released a statement via Instagram promising to return to the show on Monday night (local time)

ā€œAs some of you may have heard, I passed out during the first performance of Cock last night,ā€ he posted.

ā€œI am completely fine. Slightly sore neck and a bruised ego but I’m fine.

ā€œI’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.

ā€œThat 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.ā€

He also praised Harper-Jackson as ā€œan amazing actor and a lovely personā€, adding: ā€œThank you Joel.ā€

On Sunday, Harper-Jackson wrote on Twitter that taking Egerton’s place on stage had been ā€œan absolute privilegeā€.

ā€œTaron is a true gentleman, has been so supportive & most importantly he’s okay & will be back on Monday,ā€ he posted.

A statement from the production said: ā€œDuring yesterday evening’s first preview of Mike Bartlett’s play Cock at the Ambassadors Theatre, Taron Egerton fainted towards the end of the performance.

ā€œA doctor who was in the audience attended to Taron immediately after the incident, and whilst he felt fine, it was decided that Taron’s understudy, Joel Harper-Jackson would continue in the role to complete the performance.ā€

Egerton is perhaps most famous for playing Sir Elton John in the 2019 film about the superstar’s life, Rocketman.

-AAP

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