More than half of the UK's theatres will close if pantomime season is cancelled and the Government doesn't intervene, actor John Barrowman has warned.
Speaking in a TV interview Barrowman said "70 per cent of theatres around the UK are going to be gone" if they can't open in time for Christmas pantomimes, on ITV's Good Morning Britain earlier today (June 30).
Barrowman is due to star as the Wicked Queen in the Bristol Hippodrome's production of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs from December 5 until January 3.
But the 53-year-old, who finished third in the 18th series of I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here, said he is not confident the show will go ahead after stressing how vital panto season is for UK venues.
"Christmas and pantomime season is when a lot of theatres around the country make enough revenue in order to survive the year," he said in an interview with hosts Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid.
"If they don't get to do it and there's no plan, 70 per cent of theatres around the UK are going to be gone.
"I'm planning already at the moment that it (Bristol Hippodrome pantomime) may not happen because there's no plan; there's no steps forwards for producers to take in order to make it happen."
The Doctor Who and Torchwood actor said the Ambassador Theatre Group (ATG), which runs Bristol Hippodrome and numerous other major UK theatres, is a big company but "a plan" is still needed.
Bristol Live has asked ATG if preparations for this year's pantomime in Bristol are under way and is awaiting a response.
On June 23 Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the Government will "work with the arts industry on specific guidance to enable choirs, orchestras and theatres to resume live performances as soon as possible," but there are fears this might not be until 2021.
The next production scheduled to take place at Bristol Hippodrome is Ghost, set to begin its run on September 1, but there is no guarantee the musical will be able to go ahead.
Many of the venue's shows including Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, Six and Heathers have been postponed to next year.
More information about upcoming and rescheduled shows at Bristol Hippodrome can be found on the theatre's website.
