A panto star sacked for making pornographic films has defended his X-rated career.
Former Any Dream Will Do contestant Craig Chalmers insisted he was not ashamed of his adult movies but did concede that they conflicted with his pantomime role.
On Wednesday, The Courier revealed that married Chalmers (30) had been fired by the Alhambra Theatre in Dunfermline when shocked staff were tipped off about a film in which he commits several lewd acts.
He had been due to appear as Prince Charming in Cinderella from December 18.
Chalmers blamed an unexpected “crossover” between the launch of his pornographic career and his pantomime appearances.
“I’m not ashamed of it,” he said. “I’m being well paid and I’m comfortable with doing it.”
Confirming he would not be appearing in pantomime this year, Chalmers said: “The plan was to wrap my panto career up after this Christmas and concentrate on my new career. However, there has been an unintended crossover and I’m well aware there is a clear conflict of interest.”
Describing it as unfortunate, he added: “I understand that a lot of people are going to judge me badly for it but at the end of the day both my friends and family are fully aware of my career and they support my decision.”
The Alhambra, which has been praised for its prompt response to the revelations, released another statement saying it had been disappointed that Chalmers had not seen fit to inform staff of his involvement in the adult entertainment business.
“If we had been made aware, Craig would never have been cast in our panto,” the statement read. “The Alhambra panto is all about fun for all the family and it would be entirely inappropriate for him to take part.”
Fife Council’s spokesman for children and young people Bryan Poole backed the theatre’s stance. He said that while Chalmers had not done anything illegal, it was not appropriate for him to appear in a children’s show.
“Pornography and children just don’t go together,” he said. “Someone has flagged this up and children could be asking for explanations. Many of them have access to the internet on their own computers or mobile phones now.”
Craig Chalmers rose to fame in 2007 as a contestant on the hit BBC show Any Dream Will Do, which aimed to find a new Joseph for Andrew Lloyd-Webber’s Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat.
In his new career he is known by the name Ryan Ryder and his profile and photograph appear on an adult entertainment website.