Alison Hammond has broken her silence as she apologises over theatre singing backlash.
Alison Hammond has issued an apology after her recent comments on singing in theatres sparked backlash and reports of a ‘mini riot’ at a performance of The Bodyguard in Manchester’s Palace Theatre.
The This Morning presenter and her colleagues, Dermot O’Leary and Vanessa Feltz, discussed the ban on singing along to musicals during a segment on the show, which was widely criticised on social media. Following this, there were reports of disruptions and arguments during The Bodyguard performance on Friday night, with some audience members reportedly singing along despite the new rules. Police had to attend, and the show had to finish 10 minutes before the finale.
Alison took to Twitter to apologise for her comments, stating that she was “truly sorry” for her comments on This Morning. She also vowed to “do better in the future” and to learn from the experience.
In her statement, Alison wrote: “After reflection and the comments I made on Wednesday’s show I want to apologise to anyone who I offended especially the incredibly talented theatre performers, who I have the upmost respect for.
“I had no idea the level of disruption audiences were causing and tried to make light of the topic on Wednesday’s show, and for that I’m truly sorry.
“I am a great support of theatre and the arts and would never sing at the top of my lungs at any performance, I was wrong in what I said and I’ve given this a lot of though over the past few days and believe I was wrong.”
She continued: “On Thursday evening I attended a performance of the GBBO the musical which I absolutely adored and gave a standing ovation, theatre is a magical experience for me and my family.
“I want to use my platform for good as always and want to stand up with the performers, Front of house and theatre staff especially after seeing what happening at The Bodyguard in Manchester which has made me sick to my stomach.
“Once again I am truly sorry but trust I will do better in the future.”
Statement : 🖤 pic.twitter.com/lljs3ZjeQa
— Alison Hammond (@AlisonHammond) April 9, 2023
The theatre community has welcomed Alison’s apology, with many calling for greater awareness of the impact that disruptive behaviour can have on performances. The Palace Theatre in Manchester has also issued a statement reminding audiences to be respectful during shows and to refrain from singing along.
This incident highlights the importance of respecting the rules and etiquette of theatre performances, and the impact that disruptive behaviour can have on both performers and other audience members.