The actor playing Captain Von Trapp in Andrew Lloyd Webber's revival of The Sound Of Music, starring talent show winner Connie Fisher, has withdrawn from the show, just nine days before the show's opening night. Simon Shepherd dropped out of the musical when it was decided after two previews that his performance was "not working".
Shepherd, best known for his role in TV show Peak Practice is to be replaced by Alexander Hanson. A spokesman said in a statement: "Simon wants to wish Alexander Hanson and everyone involved in the production the very best of luck".
The show has, of course, been a bit controversial due to the fact that its star, Connie Fisher, was selected via a reality TV show. It hasn't harmed sales figures however - more than £6million worth of advance tickets have been sold.