Noel Fielding has dropped out of his Apple TV+ comedy series The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin due to health issues, forcing production to halt midway through filming its second season.
The star of the 18th-century highwayman comedy did not return to set following the Christmas break, according to reports.
The sudden departure has left hundreds of cast and crew members out of work, with footage already shot unable to be salvaged into a shorter season.
Fielding’s spokesperson said the matter was “private and confidential” regarding their client’s health, expressing sadness over the production’s cessation.
Production sources told Deadline that Fielding was unavailable for both scheduled and rescheduled filming dates for the second season.
The comedian reportedly left for France over the Christmas period, with The Sun reporting that the production team only learned of the show’s cancellation afterwards.
Noel Fielding’s sudden departure from the Dick Turpin comedy series has caused some chaos
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The series, which features Fielding as a fictional version of the famous highwayman, had already completed approximately three-quarters of its planned shoot before the shutdown.
Sources close to the production have indicated that the footage shot thus far cannot be condensed into a shorter season, effectively ending hopes of salvaging the project.
The shutdown has left an array of British acting talent disappointed, with several high-profile performers’ work unlikely to ever be seen on Apple TV+.
Jason Isaacs, Dawn French, Miranda Richardson, and Jamie and Natasia Demetriou had all signed up for roles in the second season.
More than 100 cast and crew members are reportedly considering a class action lawsuit against the show’s makers
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More than 100 cast and crew members are reportedly considering a class action lawsuit against the show’s makers over its sudden cancellation, according to The Sun.
Sources said Apple and Big Talk are working to ensure there isn’t a dramatic loss of earnings for cast and crew, with people being paid for work already delivered.
Fielding’s agent at PBJ Management denied claims he had dropped out, stating that “one of the main cast members who has not been well is not recovered enough to complete the filming”.
The agent added it was “hugely disappointing” that filming could not continue.
However, production sources told Deadline that the “main cast member” referenced was Fielding himself.
“Noel has said that he can’t film anymore and so there was no choice but to stop,” a source told The Times.
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Noel Fielding’s spokesperson said the matter was “private and confidential”
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The insider added: “People have been very concerned about Noel’s wellbeing and given him time to recover but there are also significant repercussions.”
The shutdown has raised questions about Fielding’s other television commitments, including his role as co-host on The Great British Bake Off.
A source close to Bake Off, which typically begins filming in late April, said the show was not impacted by the Dick Turpin issues.
However, they did not respond to questions about Fielding’s future alongside Alison Hammond for Season 16.
“It’s left bosses of other shows he is on feeling extremely nervous,” a source told The Sun.
Fielding, who is also a co-writer and executive producer of Dick Turpin, could face legal action over the show’s cancellation.