Sheridan Smith’s father Colin has lost his battle with cancer at the age of 80, it was announced on Friday.
The news was confirmed in a statement released by the 35-year-old’s actress’ spokesperson, who added that Sheridan has pulled out of the Royal Variety performance next week as a result of her loss.
Her spokeswoman said: ‘Sheridan’s much loved father sadly passed away this week. We can confirm that she will not be performing at the Royal Variety Performance this Tuesday 6th December.’
‘At this difficult time for Sheridan and her family we would ask that you please respect their privacy.’
Colin and Sheridan’s mother Marilyn performed together as a Country and Western musical duo called The Daltons, with a young Sheridan later joining her parents in their performances.
In March Sheridan pulled out of a performance of her sold out West End run of Funny Girl following her father’s cancer diagnosis.
After being criticised by fans left upset that she had dropped out of the London performance, the actress revealed her father’s diagnosis on Twitter before promising to personally reimburse fans.
After being insulted by a fan on Twitter for her absence, Smith wrote: ‘If you just found out your dad had cancer you wouldn’t be such a heartless human. Take care love (sic).’
Hours earlier she posted: ‘Had s*** news today, sorry I can’t make the show for you loyal fans. If you ask they give u tickets to the Savoy (sic)!’
She then went on to hint that she would quit the show for good unless she was given a pay rise so that she could give her father the best possible cancer care.
She hinted: ‘Decision made! Bye. Unless I get enough money to look after my dad.’
Sheridan played the lead Fanny Price in Funny Girl this year but took a two month leave of absence beginning in May.
The actress returned to the role on 8 July following time off for stress and exhaustion.
In the summer she paid tribute to her dad by wearing a pendant with the words ‘My dad my hero’ inscribed across it.
The Gavin and Stacey actress lost her 18-year-old brother Julian to cancer when she was eight years old, speaking out on her loss when she played cancer sufferer Lisa Lynch in ITV drama The C Word.
She said at the time: ‘Of course I’ve been affected by my brother’s death… It makes me value life, cherish my loved ones and be grateful for every day I have with them.
‘Cancer affects one in three of us and every single one of us either knows someone who has been affected by it or has experienced it first-hand. And yet it’s treated as a taboo subject.
‘It’s never on telly. We should talk about it. It’s a hideous disease and we need to try to fight it.’