Cameron Mackintosh announced today that a number of west end theatre productions would not be able to re-open before 2021, and included in the list of shows is Mary Poppins. Covid-19 has been absolutely devastating for the UK entertainment industry, which brings in £1.28 billion per year for the UK economy just in ticket sales. It is very sad for all the cast and crew unable to work, especially those who are unable to access the government assistance programmes. 

Producer Cameron Mackintosh has said his West End productions of Les Misérables, Mary Poppins, Hamilton and The Phantom of the Opera will not be returning before 2021.

In a statement Mackintosh said: "This decision is heart-breaking for me, as I am sure it is for my employees, as everyone who has worked with me over the last 50 years, on or off the stage, knows how much I care about what I do and how I do it. "Despite the government engaging with the desperate pleas from everyone in the theatre industry, so far there has been no tangible practical support beyond offers to go into debt which I don't want to do.

Their inability to say when the impossible constraints of social distancing will be lifted makes it equally impossible for us to properly plan for whatever the new future is. "This has forced me to take drastic steps to ensure that I have the resources for my business to survive and enable my shows and theatres to reopen next year when we are permitted to. I have no investors or venture capital backing, everything is funded by me personally and already my companies' considerable reserves have been massively reduced by the complete closure of our industry everywhere.

Joseph was meant to do an interview this afternoon, as mentioned in this tweet. I saw the beginning, but it has now been marked private. Not sure what is happening.