28 March 2023 , 21:57
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Comedian John Bishop has made the decision to pull out of a performance following a recent heartbreaking family tragedy.
The actor, 56, has pulled out of a panto appearance following the death of his mother, Kathleen.
Kathleen's sad passing comes shortly after the proud mum watched her talented son only perform in Mother Goose alongside Sir Ian McKellen.
Following the death of his beloved mum, 80, John is now taking compassionate leave, missing the run from last night to April 1 at Cardiff’s Wales Millennium Centre.
While John takes the time grieve, RSC actor Gabriel Fleary will stand in for him.
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John's beloved mum Kathleen has passed away (Instagram)John announced his mother’s death last week in a post on Instagram.
“Two weeks ago my Mum came to see me in Mother Goose in Liverpool and joined in the singalong at the end, as I knew she would," he penned at the time.
"This morning we said goodbye to her and we will never hear her sing again."
The devastated comedian went on: "As a family we are heartbroken. She was a mother, a grandmother and a great grandmother and she loved us all. Next week she would have been married to my Dad for 62 years and they had a love and a friendship that was beautiful to be around.
Kathleen had been to see her son perform just two weeks before her sad passing (Instagram)
John has taken compassionate leave and has pulled out of the panto performances (Dave Benett/Getty Images)"We want to thank all of the brilliant staff at Whiston Hospital on ward 3C who could not have done more and provided exceptional care for us all."
“Anyone who has lost a parent will understand when I say it is a pain like no other.
"I will never have another mother but I will be eternally grateful for being lucky enough to have had the one I did.
"Good night Mum, you were our sunshine."
John described his beloved mum as 'sunshine' (Instagram)Kathy and John's dad Ernie had four children, an older brother and two older sisters.
The comedian has previously spoken about how in 1972, aged six, his dad went to prison for a year, and how he admired his mum's strength during the painful period.
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Ernie and Kathleen had been walking home when two men he’d had a run-in with the previous week started an argument outside a chip shop.
Kathleen intervened, only for one of the men to push her so hard she bounced off a car bonnet. Ernie reacted and just as he’d done the previous week, put both men on the floor.
John Bishop's parents Kathleen and Ernie in 1959“Even the arresting officers said the case should have been thrown out. On both occasions my dad was defending himself and on the second one defending his wife.
"But there was a lot of resentment towards Scousers who had moved out to Winsford and he was stitched up,” said John.
Ernie couldn’t afford a decent defence, took bad advice and got a one-year sentence. Because his offence was violent he went to a closed prison.
John said: “My dad had a very tough upbringing as one of nine kids in inner-city Liverpool and he knew how to stand up for himself. He always taught us to never go looking for trouble, but to never walk away, especially if you’re in the right."