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STAGE FRIGHT

Rocketman actor Taron Egerton collapses on stage of theatre show’s opening night – as doctor in the crowd rushes to help

ACTOR Taron Egerton collapsed on stage in front of a packed crowd on opening night of his new theatre show.

The star - famous for playing Elton John in Rocketman - was last night forced off stage at the Ambassadors Theatre in Leicester Square after passing out.

Taron Egerton passed out on stage last night
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Taron Egerton passed out on stage last nightCredit: Getty Images - Getty

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His understudy Joel Harper-Jackson stepped in to replace him in the final part of the play.

Reassuring fans he's recovered, 32-year-old Taron insisted: "I am completely fine. Slightly sore neck and a bruised ego, but I'm fine."

He said he will return to the stage on Monday night.

"As some of you may have heard, I passed out during the first performance of last night," Taron wrote on Instagram.

"I'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 check out.

"That 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.

"Thank you to the amazing team at the theatre and my wonderful cast mates for being so lovely.

"But mainly I wanted to say thanks to Joel Harper Jackson who stepped in to do the last bit of the play.

"Joel is an amazing actor and a lovely person. Thank you, Joel. T x."

A statement from the play’s production last night said: "During this evening’s first preview of Mike Bartlett’s play , Taron Egerton fainted towards the end of the performance.

"A 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."

Taron seen leaving rehearsals for the play last month
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Taron seen leaving rehearsals for the play last monthCredit: Splash