Gillian Wright needed surgery on her broken arm
(Picture: BBC / Instagram)EastEnders star Gillian Wright has been forced to pull out of pantomime after suffering a nasty injury.
The actress, best known for playing Jean Slater on the BBC One soap, was left with a broken wrist after taking a fall last week while rehearsing for Snow White.
Wright, 62, was cast as the Wicked Queen at the Central Theatre in Chatham, Kent, and while she managed to make it through the opening night “sporting a plaster cast, glittery sling and with the help of painkillers,” has been advised to bow out early after undergoing surgery.
Taking to social media to give a health update to fans on Monday, she admitted she was “gutted” as she shared pictures on Instagram of her bruised-looking wrist, her arm in a cast and another where she posed with actress Samantha Hughes who will be replacing her in the production.
She captioned her post: “Rehearsing a wonderful Wicked Queen in this lovely script, with these lovely people at Central Theatre in Chatham. Took a little fall in dance – broke my wrist.
“Carried on with marvellous support from cast and crew and theatre, sporting a plaster cast, glittery sling and with the help of painkillers got through and did the Opening Night.
“Surgery following day and suddenly my wrist has a metal plate and pins in it and I’ve strict instructions for the plate to settle and that’s me out of the show. Gutted.
“Can’t believe the enormous repercussions of a little fall. So much left to find with the Queen, lovely numbers and routines and rhyming couplet banter.
“But the marvellous Samantha Hughes has stepped in and taken on the role with exquisite grandeur and cheekiness and aplomb! Thank you Samantha for being so brilliant.”
Wright went on to thank all of those who supported her following her accident, adding: “Thank you cast mates for being so supportive. Will miss the adventure with you all,” she penned.
