Sportacus show angers mothers

May 14 2009 by Chris Clements, Hamilton Advertiser

Sportacus show angers mothers

MUMS and kids were left disappointed when they turned out in the lashing rain to see their hero, children’s TV favourite Sportacus – only to discover there was a “phoney” in his place.

Despite torrential rain, parents had taken their children along to see the character, of LazyTown fame, perform his trademark athletic stunts at Saturday’s food festival in Hamilton.

However, mothers were left “fizzing” when the Sportacus who arrived was not the Icelandic athlete Magnus Scheving – who plays the character in the hit kids TV show – but a stand-in organised by South Lanarkshire Council.

Angry Uddingston mum Mairi Breen contacted the Advertiser to express her disappointment at the “phoney” Sportacus.

The 41-year-old, who works in PR, braved the weather to take children Katy (6) and Euan (4) to see the star perform, but was gutted when she saw the show.

“I’d seen the event advertised in newspapers, so myself and 100 other mums braved the worst weather imaginable to see our children’s hero,” said Mairi. She continued: “Imagine our disappointment when, instead of the bronzed Adonis that is Magnus Scheving, out came an Aussie teenager in a bad costume, with a moustache that was falling off and orange pancake make-up.

“This phoney even had the audacity to sign autographs afterwards.”

Mairi admits that the younger children didn’t really know the difference between Scheving and the “phoney”, but this didn’t detract from the parents’ anger.

“I’m surprised me and the other mums didn’t lynch him and the organisers for misleading the audience about Sportacus being there. Though the kids weren’t really bothering, the mums were absolutely fizzing. I mean, watching Sportacus is better than watching Barney the dinosaur any day.

“How can the organisers of the food festival get away with it?

“Surely it has to be in breach of advertising rules?”

A spokesperson for South Lanarkshire Council said: “As is the norm with events such as this, the Sportacus character was played by an actor.

“The performer was an official licensed character.”