By all accounts Geordie favourite Cheryl is making a spine-tingling debut on the West End stage in the much-talked-about chiller 2:22 A Ghost Story - but seems one of her former bandmates gave it the cold shoulder.
Nadine Coyle was due to to join fellow Girls Aloud pals Kimberley Walsh and Nicola Roberts to watch the show but apparently pulled out at the last minute as she was too scared, it was reported.
According to The Mirror, the 37-year-old feared the hit show would be too frightening so missed Cheryl's West End stage debut, which meant an empty seat left between Kimberley and Nicola at London's Lyric Theatre where 39-year-old Cheryl's performance in the chiller - in the role of a mother who believes her house is haunted - already has been earning her huge praise.
Read more: Cheryl in tears on stage as West End role impresses critics
During a chat at a big press night for the show last week, Kimberley, 41, said: "It's a shame Nadine isn't here. She was supposed to be coming. "She doesn't like anything scary", reports The Mirror, adding that a theatre source said: “Nadine was supposed to be sat on the second row between Kimberley and Nicola. They had planned to show up as a group to support Cheryl. She sent a good luck message instead.”
It added that Cheryl’s acting debut, which reportedly sees her former judge on The X Factor paid £1,000 a show, has wowed both fans and critics. Kimberley, who herself has appeared in several West End shows, had plenty of words of praise for the star.
"She was amazing," she said. "I am so proud of her. This could open the doors to a whole new career.
“She is really talented so there is no reason she can’t go on to have some huge acting roles.”
Cheryl follows singer Lily Allen, I’m A Celebrity winner Giovanna Fletcher and former Love Island presenter Laura Whitmore in taking on the role of Jenny in the show and is set to play the character until April 23.
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