Just fright that
CELEBS A BUNDLE OF NERVES
★ GAVIN & Stacey star Alison Steadman is quitting theatre work – because of stage fright!
The 77-year-old actress, known for her role as Pam in the BBC TV sitcom – as well as performing in plays such as Abigail’s Party – has called time on treading the boards, after developing nerves.
★ But she’s not the only icon to fall foul of the phenomenon, as JAMES MOORE reveals…
Adele: Once admitting: “I’m scared of audiences,” the singer says: “One show in Amsterdam, I was so nervous I escaped out the fire exit…My nerves don’t really settle until I’m off stage.”
Tommy Cooper: The legendary comedian revealed: “People say I’ve only got to walk on stage and they laugh. If only they knew what it takes to walk out on stage in the first place.”
Billy Connolly: Going on stage has always “scared the life” out of the funnyman, who added: “I’m riddled with anxiety and selfdoubt every time.”
Barbra Streisand: Forgetting the lyric to a song in a 1967 performance gave the US singer such “shocking” nerves she didn’t sing in public for 27 years and has since used a teleprompter.
Carly Simon: The American singer has such bad stage fright it once caused her to pass out on a table of businessmen eating pasta and has used pain to distract her, like wearing tight boots. She once got orchestra members to spank her.
Salma Hayek: The From Dusk Til Dawn actress says: “I don’t get nervous in front of the camera…but I can’t take the stage with all those people expecting something great of me.” Jennifer Lawrence: The Hunger Games movie star has “horrible stage fright” but says: “I find a certain peace
by thinking of ‘me in public’ as sort of an avatar self.”
Lorde: The 27-year-old Kiwi pop starlet suffers so badly she sometimes throws up before shows, saying: “I get nervous, I get freaked out.”
Laurence Olivier: The actor often had to be pushed on stage saying the fear was: “A monster which hides in its foul corner without revealing itself but may come forward at any moment.”
Michael Gambon: The star, who played Professor Dumbledore in the Harry Potter movies, was once hospitalised with stage terror saying he: “Got so frightened that I collapsed.”
Rihanna: A quick pre-show shot diluted with orange juice helps the singer to beat her collywobbles: “I have to have it,” she says. “The drink calms my nerves.”
Ian Holm: During a 1976 play, the actor, who played Bilbo in The Lord Of The Rings movies, fled the stage with fear recalling: “By the time I got back to the dressing room area I had even lost the ability to walk.” He was found curled up in a ball.
Olivia Colman: The actress says stage fright is “an awful feeling” and has turned to hypnotherapy to cope.
Andrea Bocelli: The opera singer says stage fright makes him feel naked adding: “I don’t want to use drugs or medicine. The only thing is to go on stage and to hope.”
Ozzy Osbourne: The Prince of Darkness says: “Every night before I go on tour, I get terrible stage fright until I cross that invisible line. Once I’m on, it’s s**t or bust!”