Cheryl’s 2:22 A Ghost Story run gets off to chaotic start as co-star withdraws due to illness-Rachael O'Connor-Entertainment – Metro

Cheryl received a standing ovation for her role in 2:22 A Ghost Story but it’s not quite smooth sailing yet (Picture: Getty Images for The Londoner)

Cheryl’s branching out into acting hit a slight snag on Tuesday as it was announced her 2:22 A Ghost Story co-star would be stepping down.

The former Girls Aloud icon has a wide-ranging CV, with everything from pop star to X Factor judge and even ghost hunter.

This week the mum-of-one made her debut as the lead role in the West End’s 2:22 A Ghost Story, stepping into the role previously played by the likes of Lily Allen and Laura Whitmore.

And while Cheryl totally proved herself, gaining a standing ovation on her first night on the job, it’s not exactly smooth sailing.

It was announced on Tuesday that her co-star, Hugo Chegwin, was withdrawing from the production due to illness, temporarily leaving the future of the show in question.

However just minutes later it was announced that the day had been saved by previous 2:22 A Ghost Story star Jake Wood, who will be stepping back into the role of Ben for the rest of the run, due to end on April 23.

The former Girls Aloud star was revealed as the new protagonist last year (Picture Instagram)

The musician was lauded for her debut performance in the emotional play (Picture: SplashNews.com)

The official Twitter page for the play confirmed the news at lunchtime on Tuesday, saying they were ‘delighted to welcome [Jake] back to the 2:22 family.’

‘Jake will reprise his award-winning role of Ben until the end of the run, after Hugo Chegwin has sadly had to withdraw from the show due to illness during the rehearsal period,’ they wrote in a brief statement.

‘We are delighted to welcome Jake back to the production, following his award-winning performance in the original West End cast.’

The run is due to go on until the end of April (Picture: SplashNews.com)

Cheryl was spotted beaming after she left her first night on stage in January after being treated to a standing ovation by the crowd.

Photos from the night showed the Fight For This Love star getting totally into character, in one shot standing up and shouting, in another lost in thought over a mug of tea, and another appearing emotional as she sat over a glass of wine.

Written by Danny Robins and directed by Matthew Dunster, the show follows Jenny, who believes her new home is haunted, while her husband Sam is not having any of it.

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The couple argue with their first dinner guests, old friend Lauren and her new partner Ben, as belief and scepticism clash.

It’s believed that Cheryl is earning a very nice £1,000 for each show, with The Sun reporting that the massive deal will see her earn £100,000 by the time the run ends in spring.

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