PLEASURE seekers hoping to get a glimpse of an oiled-up torso or two at the Ferndale Club tonight will be in for a disappointment after the show was cancelled just hours before the shirts were due to come off.

Big Brother’s Simon Gross – better known as Mr Showbiz – was due to be hitting the stage at the Ferndale Club compering for The UK Pleasureboys who were due to raise an eyebrow or two at the club. But shortly before 3pm on Friday, he made the shock announcement that the show would not be going ahead.

He said: “The venue has just told us they will not be having the show and have cancelled. I am not prepared for people to turn up and blame me or The UK Pleasure Boys. Believe-you-me I was all packed and ready to go out the door and drive to Swindon.

“I am disappointed not to be performing tonight, I am even booked into a hotel in Swindon as we have another show in Bristol tomorrow. I was really looking forward to coming back to Swindon as I have performed at the Wyvern Theatre in the past.”

Owner of The UK Pleasure Boys John Woodward confirmed the show would not be going ahead. He said: “It was down to the venue, I am not sure exactly what is going on there, but it does seem to have changed hands. We were full and ready to attend.

“We would have done everything we could to perform here.”

He added that The Pleasure Boys UK would be hitting Swindon again in the near future.

A post on The Ferndale Club Swindon’s Facebook page said the new owner had “officially cancelled” the show, but said that refunds for tickets would come from the club.

The new owner of the club was unavailable for comment.