Sharon D Clarke's upcoming theatre play has been postponed while the Doctor Who star undergoes cancer treatment.
The Ellis and Holby City actor was due to appear as the title role in the Royal Shakespeare Company's reimagining of Othello at the Swan Theatre next year. However, the production has been paused with no new dates announced.
The RSC has revealed that Clarke is "taking some time and space she needs to undertake treatment".
"I would like to thank all the beautiful people at the RSC for their understanding, love, support and healing energy," Clarke said in a statement. "Othello will be my north star as I undergo treatment."
Clarke shared that she and wife Susie McKenna have been "overwhelmed, humbled and buoyed by the tidal wave of love that we have received and are so blessed to have an army of strength and support to hold us up".
"Love and thanks to my beautiful people," she added.
Clarke is best known for her roles as Grace O’Brien in Jodie Whittaker's era of Doctor Who, DCI Ellis in 5's crime drama Ellis and Dr Lola Griffin in BBC medial drama Holby City.
RSC co-artistic directors Daniel Evans and Tamara Harvey have opened up about the decision to postpone rather than move forward without Clarke, calling it "difficult". They said that Clarke is "integral" to director Monique Touko's modern adaptation, which shows Clarke as a female general who falls in love with Desdemona.
They declared in a statement: "Sharon is, in every sense of the word, a warrior and we know she will meet this challenge with the unwavering strength and indomitable spirit that she brings to so many aspects of her life and work."
Announced in July, this version of Othello was described as a "movement and music-infused" retelling of Shakespeare's tragedy, with racism and misogyny at its heart.
The synopsis reads: "Set in a climate-threatened future in which a Black lesbian holds a seat of power, this movement and music-infused Othello by Monique Touko re-imagines Shakespeare's 400-year-old story through the lens of misogynoir, as an unsanctioned marriage perilously crosses boundaries of race, sex and status, allowing jealousy, suspicion and malign intent to close in."
Touko said of Clarke: "On behalf of the entire creative team, we send Sharon all the love for her ongoing treatment and recovery.
"As a director, I have been incredibly blessed to collaborate with Sharon on this major reframing of Shakespeare’s tragedy, which reimagines Shakespeare’s Othello through the lens of misogynoir.
"Her generosity and passion for this project continues to astound me and I look forward to us coming back together when the time is right to share this production with the world."
Anyone who has already bought tickets to the postponed shows will be automatically refunded, according to the RSC.
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