Nicola Coughlan has shared a health update with fans after revealing she has been battling a bug during the run of her new stage production, The Playboy of the Western World.
The Bridgerton star, 38, is currently appearing in a revival of the 1907 Irish classic at the National Theatre, starring opposite her former Derry Girls co-star Siobhán McSweeney.
Taking to Instagram Stories on Tuesday, Coughlan explained that she has not yet fully recovered from an illness and, on medical advice, will temporarily stop greeting fans at the stage door following performances.
Thanking audiences for their support, she wrote: “Thank you so much to everyone who’s come to see The Playboy of the Western World so far. This show is a joy to be in and I’m loving every moment. I feel so grateful we get to keep doing it until February.”
She added: “Unfortunately I caught a bug a few weeks ago and am not yet back to full health so, following medical advice, I won’t be able to sign at Stage Door post-show for the foreseeable future. My priority has to be being well enough to perform for the rest of the run, so thank you in advance for your understanding.”
The production opened at the Lyttelton Theatre last month and runs until February 28. Coughlan plays Pegeen Mike in the three-act play by Irish writer John Millington Synge, revived by Caitríona McLaughlin, artistic director of the Abbey Theatre.
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The revival reunites Coughlan and McSweeney on stage for the first time since Derry Girls, the acclaimed Channel 4 comedy set in mid-1990s Northern Ireland, in which Coughlan played Clare Devlin and McSweeney starred as the formidable Sister Michael.
Announcing the project last year, Coughlan shared her excitement about working together again, writing on Instagram: “Reuniting with an old friend for a new adventure doing an Irish classic. So excited to be bringing the Wesht of Ireland to the National Theatre.”
The production also stars Éanna Hardwicke as Christy Mahon, alongside a large ensemble cast. It tells the story of Pegeen Flaherty, whose quiet life is upended when a young man arrives at her pub claiming to have killed his father, a confession that unexpectedly turns him into a local hero, until a shocking twist threatens his newfound status.
Despite the temporary change to her post-show routine, Coughlan reassured fans that she remains fully committed to the production as it continues its sold-out London run.
