A William Shakespeare impersonator has quit after being accused of making racist remarks in the Bard’s birthplace.
Paul Workman, 74, better known as ‘Mr Shakespeare’, has been a regular sight in Stratford-upon-Avon over the last eight years.
But before taking part in the town’s annual Shakespeare birthday parade last month, he bowed out after Stratford-upon-Avon Town Council received a complaint.
He is accused of making offensive remarks, which are understood to have concerned ‘Muslims and Jews’, in a pub in February.
The town council, who appointed Mr Workman to the role, summoned him to a meeting to discuss the allegations.
However, Mr Workman resigned from his unpaid position before the meeting took place claiming he was the victim of ‘cancel culture.’
The 74-year-old insists he cannot remember the exact words he used but has confirmed some people may have found his comments ‘triggering’.
He said: ‘One thing I do know is that I am not racist. I feel I’m being smeared by people who are jealous of my position and my success.
Paul Workman, 74, better known as ‘Mr Shakespeare’, has been a regular sight in Stratford-upon-Avon over the last eight years
Before taking part in the town’s annual Shakespeare birthday parade last month, he bowed out after Stratford-upon-Avon Town Council received a complaint
He is accused of making offensive remarks, which are understood to have concerned ‘Muslims and Jews’, in a pub in February
‘I am older and I have my views but I would never be offensive to or about anyone.
‘I’d gone to the pub with my friend to discuss putting on a pottery class for people in a nearby village.
‘I’d had two or three pints and suddenly another chap came along and was butting into our conversation which I thought was a bit rude.
‘We ended up talking about politics and World War Two and I was comparing what Russia is doing to Ukraine to what the Nazis did.
‘I can’t remember the exact words I used but my point was that you have to get into the minds of the people involved.
‘I think I said something about Muslims and Jews and it got blown out of all proportion.
Mr Workman resigned from his unpaid position and claiming he was the victim of ‘cancel culture’
He insists he cannot remember the exact words he used but has confirmed some people may have found his comments ‘triggering’
‘Suddenly I was told I should go home. I wasn’t making a speech, I was just chatting to my friend in a pub.
‘We were putting the world to rights but I was told by someone that what I’d said was inappropriate so I left because I didn’t want any trouble.’
Mr Workman says weeks later he discovered two people, including one who had not been in the pub at the time, had complained to the council.
He said: ‘I received a letter from the council summoning me to a meeting to discuss my role as Mr Shakespeare.
‘I didn’t want to get booted out and be another victim of cancel culture so I got ahead of the game and stepped down.
‘I know I wasn’t going to have the chance to defend myself but I just thought it was for the best.
He said: ‘One thing I do know is that I am not racist. I feel I’m being smeared by people who are jealous of my position and my success’
Mr Workman says weeks later he discovered two people, including one who had not been in the pub at the time, had complained to the council
‘I now regret not telling my side of the story because I feel like I’ve been victimised on the basis of pub gossip and rumour.
‘I’ve been going to the pub for years but it does attract lots of left wing woke types so I shouldn’t have been surprised that someone got offended.’
Mr Workman has lived in Stratford-upon-Avon for 38 years and runs a Hamlet-themed B&B which featured in Channel 4’s Four in a Bed TV series.
The widowed grandfather says since he resigned he has been flooded with requests to return as the town’s official Shakespeare impersonator.
He said: ‘What I said may have been triggering for some people and for that I apologise.
‘However, I did not expect to have to resign from being the town’s Shakespeare impersonator. I loved doing it and I was good at it.
The widowed grandfather says since he resigned he has been flooded with requests to return as the town’s official Shakespeare impersonator
‘Since I stepped down I’ve been inundated by people saying how badly treated I’ve been and how I shouldn’t have been forced to quit.
‘I will really miss being Stratford’s Mr Shakespeare. It’s a big role with responsibility.
‘I’m somewhat of a celebrity around Stratford, so it’s going to be hard to adapt.’
The town council confirmed they have replaced Mr Workman with another impersonator who will perform his duties accompanied by a female actor playing Shakespeare’s daughter Susanna.
Town clerk Caroline Nash said: ‘Following a complaint regarding alleged comments made in a public setting, Mr Workman was invited to a meeting to discuss this matter.
‘He did not take up this offer and we then received a response resigning from his voluntary role.
‘We acknowledged and that Mr Workman for his past service.’
