Matt Lucas withdraws from Les Miserables following a back injury.

Matt Lucas has withdrawn from playing Thenardier in Cameron Mackintosh's new production of Les Miserables at the Sondheim Theatre due to back injury.

Matt Lucas and Katy Secombe in Les Miserables in Concert. Photo: Michael Le Poer Trench. Matt Lucas stepped in to play Thenardier when Gerard Carey was put on vocal rest in December. Last week Matt Lucas sustained a back injury which meant that now he too has had to withdraw from the show. Enter Ian Hughes, who recently took over the role of Thénardier to great acclaim in the current sell-out UK and International tour of Les Misérables will now join the London company to partner Josefina Gabrielle (Madame Thénardier) from tomorrow, Friday 10 January 2020, until the end of February when Gerard Carey is expected to return to the role as originally announced having over the past few weeks been on complete rest to avoid any long-term damage to his vocal chords.  

Ian Hughes Ian Hughes was the first recipient of the Ian Charleson Award for his performance in Torquato Tasso and has appeared in the West End productions of Guys and Dolls at the Savoy Theatre, The Lion King at the Lyceum Theatre and The 39 Steps at the Criterion Theatre.  His many credits for the Royal Shakespeare Company include A Midsummer Night’s Dream, King Lear, The Comedy of Errors, The Winter’s Tale and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Cameron Mackintosh said: “To lose one master of the house is unfortunate and two perhaps careless!  I am delighted to be bringing Ian Hughes to the wonderful London Company to partner Josefina Gabrielle in order that Les Misérables can officially open at the Sondheim Theatre next week as planned. I am sure it will be third time lucky!  I am so grateful to Matt Lucas who abandoned his holiday plans to help us out and am looking forward to welcoming back Gerard to the Company at the end of February.  I wish them both speedy recoveries.” BOOK TICKETS FOR LES MISERABLES