This Morning’ s Phillip Schofield was left heartbroken on Wednesday as he spoke to two actors who had to ditch their West End careers as a result of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Phillip, 58, and his co-star Holly Willoughby, 39, welcomed actors Graham MacDuff and Anna-Jane Casey onto the ITV show this morning, a husband and wife duo who’ve found their careers turned upside down by the coronavirus pandemic.
The couple chatted to Holly and Phillip about how they’ve had to take up delivery driving instead due to Government guidelines making it tougher for actors to find work.
It clearly struck a chord with Phillip, as he admitted it “broke his heart” to hear how their careers have been halted due to the pandemic.
Phillip admitted that he had previously worked with Anna-Jane on musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat back in his West End heyday, where he played the lead role.
Phillip Schofield was left heartbroken during Wednesday’s show as he was reunited with his former Joseph and his Technicolour Dreamcoat co-star Anna-Jane Casey
Anna-Jane joined Holly and Phillip via video link live from her delivery van, while Graham appeared from their home.
The couple have been taking it in turns as delivery drivers amid the pandemic to make ends meet after their long list of lucrative career prospects for 2020 were scrapped.
“This breaks my heart,” Phillip told the pair as they first joined the This Morning duo on-screen.
“Because you represent so many talented people in this situation right now.”
Anna-Jane and Graham chatted to Holly and Phillip about how they’ve had to take up delivery driving instead due to Government guidelines making it tougher for actors to find work (Image: ITV)
Anna-Jane admitted there was plenty of work in the pipeline but now it’s all been cancelled.
“Immediately just gone,” Anna-Jane told Holly and Phillip.
“Jobs are few and far between concerts but they’re very lucrative and now they’re just gone, terrifying prospect.”
However, Anna-Jane wanted to remain in high spirits, telling the presenters: “We don’t want this to be a heartstrings story because we are very lucky – we work for a great company called Optimal.”
Anna-Jane joined Holly and Phillip via video link live from her delivery van, while Graham appeared from their home (Image: ITV)
The company have allowed the pair to balance their work and home lives during the pandemic.
Holly asked: “Is it enough what you’re doing – financially, is this managing to bridge this gap enough?”
Graham replied: “Financially we can afford to pay the mortgage and keep the kids fed and clothed.
“We’re kind of used to picking up bits of work when we’re not on stage.
“(But) everyone has a rainy day fund but no-one has a rainy year fund.”
It comes after chancellor Rishi Sunak said people “in all walks of life” should consider a new career if they found themselves unemployed because of the coronavirus pandemic.
This Morning airs weekdays on ITV at 10am
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
