Fans of Jason Donovan were left “fuming” when they turned up at a theater hoping to see him at The Rocky Horror Picture Show only to find out it was his day off.

Audience members, some of whom had even traveled from London, were left “disappointed” when he did not perform as Frank-N-Furter in the show at Blackpool Winter Gardens on the final night of the show’s tour at the resort on Saturday.

They claimed there was no mention of their day off in any promotional material they saw when booking the show, which is on a UK tour.

A statement from the star’s management said he “never had a contract” for that particular show because he had a previous relationship.

Rumors were circulating in the foyer of the theater before the show that the former Neighbors star, who recorded hits such as Too Many Broken Hearts and Especially For You, would not be performing.

Laura Johnson, from Penwortham, said: “We paid to see Jason Donovan. We saw it on the ads on social media, said Monday to Saturday. Why would I ask him then? Such a disappointment.”

Lucie Robertson, from Lytham, said: “It was a good show, and it’s no reflection on the musicianship we saw but we wouldn’t have paid to go if it wasn’t for Jason. It is what we wanted to see. They got us there under false pretenses.”

Jenny Gwillam, from Walton Park, said: “People were really enjoying the night as they were getting out beforehand in the theater bar.”

She added: “It was the main reason for booking this time, after many previous hours. We couldn’t wait to see him perform. There was no mention of the announcement that he had Saturday as a day off!

“Had we known, we would have had the opportunity to book another performance date. I know we weren’t the only ones disappointed having spoken to many in the audience who were also scoffing at not to see Jason.”

An email to one fan from Anthony Williams, head of marketing at the council-owned venue, was shown to the BBC and said: “The event webpage and associated ticketing site clearly stated from the time of sale that Jason Donovan would not be appearing during of the year. performances on Saturday.

“This information was available to all potential ticket purchasers, and we encourage all customers to review the event details carefully before completing a purchase.”

He added: “We encourage guests to select performances based on the production as a whole rather than specific cast members, as live theater is dynamic, and castings can be subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances or contractual agreements. “

A spokesman for Donovan said he had a number of contract commitments in place before and “we were unable to transfer a few”.

She said that he “rarely misses a show unless it is due to serious illness or he has a prior commitment, in which case, the date would be cleared in consultation with the producers”.

The spokesperson said that both had been clarified show and the star websites showing that he would not appear in them.