Entertainment

Schitt’s Creek farewell tour cancelled amid virus surge

The live entertainment industry is in retreat as Covid-19 re-emerges.
The live entertainment industry is in retreat as Covid-19 re-emerges. The live entertainment industry is in retreat as Covid-19 re-emerges.

Dan and Eugene Levy have announced a farewell tour to celebrate the end of acclaimed comedy Schitt’s Creek has been cancelled amid a spike in Covid-19 cases.

The stars and creators of the show said the “difficult” decision was made due to varying rules across North America, where the tour was set to take place.

The US is in the grip of a surge in coronavirus cases due to the more transmissible Delta variant, which has forced the retreat of the live entertainment industry following a return earlier this year.

The Schitt’s Creek tour had previously been postponed by the pandemic but has now been axed.

Dan, 38, announced the news in a statement shared on social media and signed alongside his father and co-star Eugene, 74.

It said: “To our incredible Schitt’s Creek fans, when we postponed the Schitt’s Creek: The Farewell tour, we had every hope and intention of traveling to see you later this year.

“However, despite our best efforts to reschedule while keeping your health and safety at the forefront, we’ve found that state and local mandates vary too widely to do so in the near future.

“So, we have made the difficult decision to cancel all tour dates that were scheduled pre-pandemic.”

The Levys said all tickets would be refunded.

They added: “We’re so sorry to be missing you, and we will continue to try to find a way to see you in the future.”

Canadian sitcom Schitt’s Creek ran for six seasons from 2015-2020, ending its acclaimed run with a memorable night of success at the Emmy Awards last year.

It swept the comedy categories at the biggest night in US TV.

The farewell tour promised to bring back the upbeat show’s cast, including the Levys and co-stars Catherine O’Hara, Annie Murphy, Emily Hampshire and Noah Reid.

It was set to include behind-the-scenes footage, stories from the actors and surprises, organisers said when it was announced.

The Schitt’s Creek tour is the latest entertainment event to be cancelled as the virus, which appeared to be fading in the US at the beginning of summer, sweeps back across the country.

The country was averaging 143,827 cases a day as of Thursday, according to official figures.

Musicians including Stevie Nicks, Garth Brooks and Nine Inch Nails have all axed their performances for the rest of the year.