Donny Osmond has said that a pregnant woman who went into labour during a musical he was performing in refused to leave the theatre until the show had finished.

Speaking to the PA news agency, the actor and singer said that the incident happened during a performance of Joseph And The Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat at the Elgin Theatre in Toronto.

Despite there being a hospital very close by the woman did not want to leave the theatre to get medical attention, he said.

National Television Awards 2013 – Arrivals – London
(Dominic Lipinski/PA)

Osmond added: “There’s a lady sitting in the back row, nine months pregnant.

“Her water broke during intermission.

“She did not want to go to the hospital. She wanted to watch the second act.

“She was willing to stay there and hold back the labour pain to watch the second act.”

He added that the incident “tells you right there that there’s something uplifting about this particular show”.

2018 William Hill St Leger Festival – Day Four – Doncaster Racecourse
Lord Lloyd-Webber musicals are being shown for free online (Tim Goode/PA)

A performance of the musical featuring Osmond, which was recorded in 2000, is being broadcast on YouTube by Lord Lloyd-Webber on Friday.

It is part of his The Shows Must Go On series, which will see some of his hit musicals aired for free during the coronavirus lockdown.

Osmond said that the “feel good show” is “perfect” for these times, adding that it is “such a great story filled with great music and lyrics”.

“We have to try to find some positivity amongst all the negativity that’s happening right now,” Osmond said.

Donny Osmond during a in-store HMV gig and signing
Osmond said he would be watching the musical with his family (Andy Butterton/PA)

He said that when he was approached to audition for the musical in 1991 the music “just brought happiness”.

Osmond praised the musical’s enduring appeal and added that there’s “something about the lyrics ‘any dream will do'” that makes it so uplifting.

The former teen idol said he would be sitting down to watch the musical as it is broadcast and would be talking to his grandchildren via a video call as it is shown.

“They want to watch grandpa be Joseph,” he said.