Exhausted Shaw cancels tour

Tracy Shaw played Maxine Peacock in Coronation Street

Ex-Coronation Street star Tracy Shaw has had to pull out of roles in two summer Shakespeare productions because of "exhaustion".

A statement released by her agent blamed personal attacks on her by sections of the media as a contributing factor.

Shaw has had to withdraw from the roles of Celia in As You Like It and Ophelia in Hamlet, which were due to start in Brighton and then tour to Nottingham, Leeds and London.

Shaw said: "My current state of exhaustion would leave me unable to give the performance that I... and the audience would expect of me."

Her agent's statement said Shaw had had "continual work" including a 16-week touring production of play The Blue Room since quitting the character Maxine Peacock in the ITV1 soap.

Nudity

But the statement also said: "Tracy has also been stressed and distressed concerning the unnecessary personal attacks on her and her family and friends by elements of the media and this has undoubtedly contributed to her current state of exhaustion."

Shaw attracted much media hype appearing in The Blue Room, which features full-frontal nudity. Hollywood star Nicole Kidman made the part famous when she appeared in a West End version of the play in 1998.

Since leaving Coronation Street, Shaw has also released a salsa exercise video, and appeared in a guest spot in BBC drama Casualty.