Gray back at King’s

Jan 13 2019 | By More

Andy Gray on stage at panto

The audience at the Edinburgh King’s were treated to an emotional return to the stage of panto legend Andy Gray on Saturday night, January 12.

It was “like coming home to a family,” the River City star, who has had to take a year off from the panto for health reasons, told All Edinburgh Theatre.

Andy Gray addresses the audience at Beauty and the Beast on Saturday 12 January 2019, with Allan Stewart looking on. Pic: Grant Stott.

Andy was in the audience for Saturday’s performance of Beauty and the Beast. He took to the stage briefly, just after the walkdown, coming on to a standing ovation and greeting the audience with his catch-phrase, “I’m no very well”.

“I had a wonderful night at the King’s last night, it was so special,” Andy told Æ.

“I had been in hospital just before that and I was not sure if I would get there, but I did and it was fantastic. Absolutely fantastic.”

three amigos

Gray was met on stage by his co-stars Grant Stott and Allan Stewart. The “three amigos” have become synonymous with the King’s pantomime in recent years.

Grant shared images of the moment on social media as well as a picture of the three of them in his dressing room after the show.

Andy Gray (Centre) back stage after the show with co-stars Allan Stewart (left) and Grant Stott. Photo credit: Grant Stott.

“It was the most emotional night for everyone in the theatre,” Grant Stott told Æ. “We were thrilled he could be there and take his rightful place beside us on the stage.

“Nobody knew what it would be like but it was a very special moment. One we won’t forget.”

Andy Gray was diagnosed with blood cancer in the summer just at the start of the Fringe and had to pull out of Junkies, the fringe show he was staring in with Grant Stott and writer Ruaraidh Murray. He also had to withdraw from the series of River City he had been about to start filming.

Having promised his fans that he would be back for next Christmas’s panto – Goldilocks and the Three Bears – Andy’s return to the stage is hugely welcome by everyone.

visibly emotional

“I was surrounded by audience members who couldn’t have been lovelier,” he said. “I was surrounded by the marvellous staff of the front of house at the King’s. I saw the crew, stage management, everybody.

“It was just wonderful to see the show which I completely got lost in and it was great to see everybody.”

Gray kept his appearance brief and was as visibly emotional about it as his co-stars, saying “I feel a bit like Andy Murray now, so I am going to have to stop”.

He told Æ: “By the time I got on stage at the end I was pretty emotional. But it was like coming home to a family. It was just really special.”

Everyone at All Edinburgh Theatre sends Andy our love and best wishes for a full recovery.

ENDS

Tags: , , , , ,

Comments are closed.