Theatre team responds amid row between Maureen Lipman and actor who quit

The creative team behind a suicide prevention play has said the show is about "a cause bigger than any one of us", after an actor quit the show over the casting of Dame Maureen Lipman and their differing political views.

Right Before I Go, written by Stan Zimmerman - known for The Golden Girls and Gilmore Girls - addresses suicide awareness using real notes and personal stories, and opens at the Soho Theatre in London on Saturday.

At the weekend, actor Gerard McCarthy, known for TV shows including Hollyoaks and The Fall, shared a statement saying he had withdrawn from the production following Dame Maureen's arrival, "because of views she has publicly and repeatedly expressed regarding Israel and Palestine".

The Jewish actress responded in an interview with The Times, calling McCarthy a "coward" for not addressing the issue with her directly and describing their actions as "virtue-signalling".

Now, the creative team behind the show, which has just completed a run in Edinburgh, has issued a statement, saying it keeps "political affiliation separate from artistic collaboration" and "does not vet performers" on the basis of their personal or political views.

"We understand that our cast and collaborators hold a wide range of perspectives, including on deeply personal and difficult subjects, and we respect the sincerity behind their decisions," the statement said.

"Right Before I Go will go on. Suicide and mental health affect people across every background and every political divide, and we believe the urgent work of raising awareness and saving lives is more important than our differences.

"If anything, we believe that the ability to stand together - even alongside people we may not agree with - for a cause bigger than any one of us is itself an expression of the common humanity this play is about."

The show is not-for-profit, the statement added, with cast, crew and collaborators "donating their time and talent because they believe in what this play can do".

Read more from Sky News:
Sewage dumped for more than 43,000 hours over summer
Pistol in lake could be linked to unsolved killings of British family

Zimmerman, who is also a performer in the show, said Right Before I Go had "never been about one actor", but rather saving lives through raising awareness about suicide.

"It already has and I'm so proud of that," he continued. "That's why we all must stay laser-focused on that goal."

He also clarified that the play uses a revolving cast and said McCarthy was "never asked to appear on the same performance date" as Dame Maureen.

In the post announcing his departure, McCarthy said he did not ask for the casting of Dame Maureen to be reconsidered, and "simply chose not to use my own platform to promote someone whose political views are at odds with my own".

Dame Maureen, known for roles in Coronation Street and The Pianist, told Sky News in 2024 that there was "nowhere safe to be Jewish".

In her interview with The Times, she said McCarthy needed to "grow up", saying it is "fair enough" if he did not want to work with her, but that he is going to "limit himself" in his career.

(c) Sky News 2026: Theatre team responds amid row between Maureen Lipman and actor who quit