Anthony Head

A ghost is exorcised

Christopher Lee, whose role in Tim Burton’s film Sweeney Todd had been eagerly anticipated, has been told his services are no longer required.

Even by the standards of the Demon Barber, it seems an unkind cut. The actor had been looking forward to making his fourth film with Burton as director and Johnny Depp as the star, but, at the eleventh hour, the character of the Gentleman Ghost that Lee had been signed to play was axed. Half a dozen other actors who were due to play singing ghosts in the film - including Peter Bowles - are also out. "It was a tight production schedule, so, when Johnny had to absent himself when his daughter Lily-Rose was taken ill, some scenes had to be cut," explains my man with the clapperboard.

He adds that Lee, a fine opera singer who has lately released a CD, had impressed Stephen Sondheim, who wrote the lyrics, when he saw him rehearsing at Pinewood. "It would have been worse if I had done the scenes, but I never got to film them," says Lee. "It’s a shame as the lyrics were wonderful, but these things happen."