Children's actor 'walked off set'

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/england/coventry_warwickshire/7192140.stm

Version 0 of 1.

An actor was sacked from a children's television show because of a "loss of confidence," in the performer, a tribunal has been told.

Warwickshire-based Ragdoll Productions told the tribunal that on one occasion In The Night Garden actor Isaac Blake, 28, walked off the set.

Mr Blake, from Cardiff, who played one of the Tombliboos in the BBC show, is claiming he was unfairly dismissed.

He claims he was dismissed after complaining about a faulty suit.

The Birmingham-based Employment Tribunal heard Mr Blake had been paid a retainer fee of £40,000 for playing a Tombliboo and was initially contracted to play the role between February 2005 and October 2006.

He also received a weekly payment of £500 when shooting took place.

'Worked in retail'

He told the tribunal that since he stopped playing a Tombliboo in the summer of 2005 he had found it hard to get employment - working in retail for eight months and doing a one-off choreography job for a council.

Marcus Difelice, representing Ragdoll, said Mr Blake was asked to leave because of a loss of confidence in him.

After walking off set he had been warned his behaviour was "unacceptable".

"There was a dispute with another performer and there was what Mr Davenport (the producer) regards as a declining performance," he said.

In his closing statements Mr Difelice said it was a case where there was significant disputes over evidence.

He asked the panel to consider if Mr Blake had make comments in jest about his sexual orientation.

'One-off production'

The tribunal has heard statements from staff members saying Mr Blake had made "inappropriate remarks".

Earlier, Mr Blake told the tribunal he had been called a "faggot" and a "bitch" by a colleague.

Elisa Laghi admitted calling him a "bitch" in an argument but said she had used the word "faggot" once in jest.

The company has denied that the suit worn by Mr Blake was a health and safety risk and also contends he was self-employed which Mr Blake denies.

Meanwhile, it emerged no further episodes of In the Night Garden will be produced as it was a one-off production.

The tribunal is expected to give its decision on Thursday afternoon.