Kerri-Anne Kennerley was set to make an appearance at Pippin’s final curtain call last Sunday, one month after breaking her collarbone during a performance.
But the 67-year-old show business veteran was noticeably absent from the stage, sparking rumours that it was due to a face peel gone wrong.
But in an interview with The Sydney Morning Herald’s Private Sydney this week, the beloved star set the rumours straight, as she revealed that her absence was actually due to a skin cancer scare.
Missing: Kerri-Anne Kennerley was set to make an appearance at Pippin’s final curtain call last Sunday, but the 67-year-old show business veteran was noticeably absent from the stage
‘It wasn’t a beauty treatment, I had skin cancers removed while I was laid up recovering from surgery,’ she told the publication.
‘As I wasn’t going anywhere for a while I thought it was a good opportunity to do it, and thought it would have healed in time for the Sunday show, but it didn’t.’
Kerri-Anne added that she didn’t want to ‘risk an infection’ as her face was still very ‘red and angry’ following the procedure.
More agony: In an interview with The Sydney Morning Herald’s Private Sydney, the beloved star set the rumours straight as she revealed that her absence was actually due to a skin cancer scare
‘I wasn’t going to risk an infection by putting makeup on my face, which was still very red and angry by Sunday,’ she clarified further.
She also joked she didn’t want to ‘frighten children’ without makeup so skipped the event.
The absence no doubt came as a blow to Kerri-Anne, who was forced to pull out of the musical early, after she broke her ankle and collarbone last month, following a horrific fall from a trapeze during a performance of Pippin at Sydney’s Lyric Theatre.
Injured: Kerri-Anne was left with a broken collarbone after falling from a trapeze in the stage musical Pippin back on December 30
Kerri-Anne has since been recovering at home, after undergoing surgery at St Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney, earlier this month.
According to Private Sydney, the bubbly entertainer had a metal plate and 10 screws inserted on her collarbone.
Kerri-Anne will now have to undertake ‘extensive physiotherapy’ over the next few months, in order to make a full recovery.
Recovery: Kerri-Anne has since been recovering at home, after undergoing surgery at St Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney earlier this month
Footage obtained by Daily Mail Australia showed the shocking moment the former Studio 10 host dropped to the floor as the audience gasped in horror.
An X-ray also showed the full extent of her injuries, which left her in a ‘significant amount of pain’.
In a statement released by her management at the time of the fall, Kerri-Anne confirmed she would no longer be starring in the stage production.
‘Good riddance to 2020,’ she said. ‘Pippin has genuinely been one of the great experiences of my life exceeding all my expectations.’
Poor KAK! An X-ray showed the full extent of her injuries, which left her in a ‘significant amount of pain’
She added that she loved the cast ‘more than ever’, before saying of the accident: ‘What happened is just a random misstep in the trapeze and circus world.
‘I’ve always felt safe in their hands but accidents just happen. I was trained well and loved getting stronger and the routine smoother.
‘I’m devastated that I can’t finish the run. It was just so much fun. I broke my collarbone quite severely and have a slight chip of my ankle bone.’
She concluded: ‘I’m hoping my injury will heal in the natural course of time, but for now I have to bow out. I will miss my Pippin family!’
Kerri-Anne was playing the supporting character Grandma Berthe in Pippin, and her signature song involved climbing atop a 15ft (4.5m) trapeze.
Gravity-defying: Kerri-Anne was playing the supporting character Grandma Berthe in Pippin, and her signature song involved climbing atop a 15ft (4.5m) trapeze