Noel Fielding’s colleagues are reportedly “concerned” about the comedian, who has had to withdraw from a television project. The second season of AppleTV’s ‘The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin’ has been cancelled following the departure of Fielding, aged 51, due to health reasons.
The show offers an “irreverent retelling” of highwayman Dick Turpin’s escapades and it was announced last July that it would return for a second serving after a successful first launch on the streaming service.
But the production was halted this week when Noel did not resume his role following the festive period, with the Times suggesting his health was not sufficient for the ongoing demands of the shoot. The Great British Bake Off presenter’s exit has caused concern among those close to him, reports the Mirror.
Moreover, frustrations have been aired by some of his associates from the AppleTV series because of the abrupt halt to filming as they were apparently close to completing the season.
A source disclosed to the Times: “Noel has said that he can’t film anymore and so there was no choice but to stop.”
They stressed that stopping production wasn’t “taken lightly” and implied that such a drastic measure would only have been adopted after all other avenues had been “exhausted”.
The source added: “People have been very concerned about Noel’s wellbeing and given him time to recover but there are also significant repercussions.” They commented further that some individuals feel “furious” about the developments.
Giving an official statement, a representative for Noel said: “This is a private and confidential matter regarding our client’s health. We are saddened by the decision to cease production but we cannot make any further comment on this matter.”
The show, The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin, premiered on AppleTV+ in March last year and featured Noel portraying the title character embarking on “wildly absurd escapades” upon becoming the “reluctant leader of a band of outlaws”.
The show was described as an “irreverent retelling set in the 18th century” and portrayed Turpin as “the most famous but least likely of highway robbers, whose success is defined mostly by his charm, showmanship and great hair.”
An announcement in July confirmed that the series was set for a second season packed with “another round of fantastical adventures” for Turpin, with filming reportedly having started late last year.
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