Jimmy Osmond, the youngest member of the Osmonds singing group, has suffered a stroke while onstage performing in a pantomime at 55-years old. This is Jimmy Osmond’s second stroke in 15 years, caused by a hole in his heart that was an undetected congenital disability.
Starring as Captain Hook in a production of Peter Pan, the Utah-born artist was performing at the Birmingham Hippodrome, in the United Kingdom, and set to appear until the end of its run on Jan. 27. But now his understudies, Luke Redford and Darren Day, will be taking on his roll.
According to the U.K.’s Daily Mail, even though the star was not filling well, he finished his performance and then signed autographs for fans before heading to the hospital.
“On the evening of Thursday December 27 after pushing through the evening’s performance of Peter Pan at Birmingham Hippodrome, Jimmy Osmond was driven straight to hospital and diagnosed with a stroke. He is grateful for all the well wishes and will be taking time out in the new year,” a spokesperson said.
In June, Osmond sent out a tweet about the role, “Excited to be in a panto again and returning to this role of Captain Hook I love letting my inner baddie out, especially in Birmingham at the [Hippodrome] where I have so many memories!”
Osmond has been performing ever since the age of 3, and at 9 years old became the youngest artist to have a No. 1 song in the United Kingdom, thanks to “Long Haired Lover From Liverpool.” In 1992, he wed Michelle Larson, with whom he now has four children.
In 2004, the matriarch of the Osmond family, Olive Osmond, died at the age of 79 from a massive stroke. It is believed she too had an undiagnosed hole in her heart, a condition also shared by three of Jimmy’s brothers, two of his nephews and his daughter. Earlier this month, Jimmy’s 33-year-old nephew, Troy, was found dead in his parents’ home.
Oh yes it is! Panto stars talk ahead of shows across West Midlands @ShropshireStar https://t.co/Nu1p6Tfs0c pic.twitter.com/I5twyqRC9A
— Jimmy Osmond (@jimmyosmond) December 14, 2018
