Sheridan Smith: I lost it after death of my father

Sheridan Smith has said she considered giving up performing after the death of her father.

She was devastated by the loss of Colin Smith in 2016 and pulled out of an appearance at the Royal Variety Performance shortly afterwards.

Her parents, Colin and Marilyn, formed the country and western duo The Daltons, and Smith and her brother Damian, who is part of the band The Torn, often performed with them on stage.

During a show at the Royal Albert Hall last night, which follows the release of her album Sheridan, she told the audience: “I did the album for my dad. There was a time, as everyone goes through, I kind of just lost it and I was totally going to give it all up.

“The reason I didn’t is you guys. I’ve met so many of you guys and you’re the reason I get up. You’re so supportive.”

Introducing a rendition of This Is Me from the film The Greatest Showman, she said: “This next song I would like to dedicate to my daddy.

“If my dad was here he would be saying shake every single one of your hands, he was so proud.”

Smith opened her show with a rendition of Crazy by Gnarls Barkley and concluded it with an encore of I Will Survive by Gloria Gaynor.

She also treated fans to renditions of 9 To 5 by Dolly Parton and Shirley Bassey’s Big Spender.