Kimberley Walsh has pledged her support for the new campaign to revive the West End (Kimberley Walsh/Love Your Theatre)
(Picture: Alastair Muir)Kimberley Walsh said the return of London’s theatreland is helping to “bring joy back to the country” after two painful years.
Walsh, who has carved out a successful career in the West End over the last few years, told the Standard how nothing that can replicate the “magic” she feels for her “first love”.
To help further revive theatres after a number of devastating shutdowns caused by the Covid pandemic, the 40-year-old former member of Girls Aloud is supporting an initiative to encourage people back to the stalls.
She said: “I think the West End will recover but it will take a long time. I’ve got a lot of friends in the industry who have had a really tough few years.
“I can see that the theatre scene is starting to bring back joy to the country but it will take time to rebuild because so much money was lost.”
Walsh is supporting the Love Your Local Theatre campaign from The National Lottery fund which is providing £2million to subsidise 150,000 tickets for over 100 theatres.
Theatregoers can now buy 2-for-1 tickets for showings in March such as Blood Brothers or Peppa Pig as part of the campaign.
It is hoped the campaign will help bring life back to local theatres across the country which Walsh said “are close to make or break”.
She added: “It’s so important for them, it’s close to make or break. If they don’t get people back in, some won’t survive.
“Many are institutions which people have grown up with.”
Walsh also suffered the difficulties of Covid after her own show, Sleepless: A Romantic Musical, was delayed due to lockdown.
Strict social distancing and testing was implemented in what the singer called a “unique experience”.
“People needed to get out and experience life again,” she said.
“Our producers just have such a love of theatre they knew people needed it back in their lives.”
Like many others Walsh struggled to balance working from home and homeschooling her children.
“It’s been a funny few years but we’ve made the most of a tough situation,” said Walsh, who welcomed her third child, Nate, last July.
“I can’t pretend I was any good at teaching from home but you feel you need to take the positives and build those relationships.”
The Love Your Local Theatre promotion is open to to anyone who is a National Lottery player and possesses a National Lottery ticket.
