COLOURFUL comedian Freddie Starr has pulled out of six gigs, including one in East Lancashire, after being taken ill.

The I’m A Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here star was aiming to reignite his career after leaving the jungle early last year, with a string of tour dates including one at Bacup’s Royal Court Theatre.

More than 330 tickets have been sold for the event at the Rochdale Road venue on Saturday.

Simon Parker, Bacup Royal Court Theatre’s Director of Education, said: “The theatre is very annoyed. Commercial events like this help us to fund our amateur productions and the upkeep of the theatre.

“We understand events sometimes must be cancelled but we do ask for reasonable notice, something four days is not.

“We are very upset as people will lose faith in us an independent venue. I have been trying to contact Freddie Starr’s management all last week after hearing rumours he was pulling out but had no replies. Then today I got an emailed picture of his sick note, it’s just not good enough.”

The 69-year-old funnyman, famed for the 1986 ‘Freddie Starr ate my hamster’ headline in The Sun, planned to tell fans about his experience in the jungle and his one and only bush-tucker trail where he ate mice tails and camel toes before being taken ill and being forced to leave the ITV1 show.

Freddie’s Manager Steven Lloyd, of Steven Lloyd Promotions said: “Freddie has had to pull out of six gigs so far because he is suffering shortness of breath and anxiety.

“He is absolutely gutted he is having to rearrange these gigs but his doctor has insisted he take a month of work.

“We only had two options, pull out or put him on stage ill and short change the audience.

“This is the last option and its costs us a lot of money.”

For more information on how to claim a refund on tickets visit www.brct.co