The Stage

Chit chat: Folk singer suffers hoax stinger

Published Tuesday 3 November 2009 at 10:50 by Tabard

Meanwhile, some troubling news reaches our ears that folk singer Charlie Landsborough - a regular performer on the BBC’s Songs of Praise - appears to have been hit by a malicious hoaxer.

The performer complains that some of his recent shows on his current tour are being hit by unfounded rumours of cancellation.

At one venue in Ireland, organisers were in the process of arranging refunds following a call purporting to be from his promoters before they realised it a prank.

The man, who claimed to be working for the concert promoters, apparently even went so far as to say that the performer’s wife had died and that Landsborough was so devastated he couldn’t perform. Tabard is pleased to report that Charlie’s wife Thelma is thankfully alive and well.

In Dunstable, where Charlie plays on November 6, similar rumours have been spread that the show is cancelled. Landsborough’s management insist that nothing could be further from the truth.

His manager Ken Davies said he had no idea why his client had been targeted. “It is very disturbing and we are doing our utmost to get to the bottom of it,” he said. “We shall certainly take legal action if appropriate. Charlie is one of the most popular and loved people you can ever hope to meet and it has been very upsetting for everyone concerned - his family, his fans and all his team. Charlie was horrified and appalled when he heard about it. All his concerts are definitely still on.”