Showbiz

Mat Horne 'flipped over press criticism'

Published Saturday, Apr 4 2009, 13:32 BST | By Daniel Kilkelly

Mat Horne 'flipped over press criticism'

Rex Features

Mathew Horne has been suffering from nerves following weeks of criticism in the press, it has been claimed.

The actor collapsed on stage earlier this week while performing in Entertaining Mr. Sloane at London's Trafalgar Theatre.

Horne's publicist has since announced that the 30-year-old is suffering from exhaustion, and later ruled out an immediate return to the West End production.

The Gavin & Stacey star's lead role in Entertaining Mr. Sloane had attracted mixed reviews in the weeks preceding the collapse.

His new BBC Three sketch show Horne & Corden and film debut in Lesbian Vampire Killers have also been criticised.

One theatre producer told the Daily Mail: "The word is he flipped because he's completely out of his depth. This has been coming for weeks."

However, a friend of the actor insisted: "He just needs a holiday, that's all."

Entertaining Mr. Sloane opened in January and runs until April 11. Understudy Fergus March will replace Horne while he is unwell.