Classy Julie Andrews was right to say chim-cheerio to a role in the new Mary Poppins as Emily Blunt shines

At 93, the original Bert, Dick Van Dyke, returns 54 years on, tap dancing on tables and proving that great entertainers never lose the ability to steal a scene.

But, despite years of begging, pleading, general flattery and even a million dollar offer from movie chiefs, there is no Julie Andrews.

Alas, the woman who to so many quite simply is Mary Poppins was not prepared to give her tacit endorsement to the £150million re-make or her replacement Emily Blunt (even though she has been very publicly polite about her successor).

I have a well-informed theory about the role that had been earmarked for the great actress and singer.

Without giving anything away, one of the heart-expanding, soon-to-be iconic scenes in the new film is when an old woman simply called the Balloon Lady, who features in the Poppins children’s books but not the original movie, sings the soaring second-to-last number Nowhere To Go But Up.

The character, who has a touching exchange with Mary Poppins, is played by Dame Angela Lansbury, now 93 herself.

While she is, without doubt, one of our all-time acting greats, she has had no connection with Mary Poppins in her long career.

The moment is touching enough and I’ll admit my eyes welled up – but just imagine if the scene had featured Andrews, who is 83, effectively passing the baton of playing such a special character to Blunt.

While fans would have loved it, those close to Andrews insist it was simply never going to happen.

Devastatingly, she all but lost her singing voice after botched throat surgery in 1997 – and there was no way she would ever consider miming along to someone else’s voice.

And despite roles in films like Shrek, The Princess Diaries and even this year’s Aquaman, she didn’t want to intrude on what she describes as “Emily’s show”.

As she told director Rob Marshall: “I don’t want it to be, ‘Oh, here comes that Mary Poppins.’”

It might be a painful loss of nostalgia and a bit of a blow to Disney bosses today, but it’s the right decision.

Andrews’ performance as Mary Poppins will go down in musical history as one of the best ever – and that’s the only legacy she needs.

Shirley’s a celeb fave

Caroline Flack is not the only star to have fallen for Shirley Ballas.

In the new episode of my podcast The Dan Wootton Interview, out on Boxing Day, Katherine Ballas reveals she’s good friends with the Strictly judge, after she once danced with her talented son Mark on the US version of the show.

She tells me: “Shirley was massively supportive and encouraging with me.

“You know I got to know the whole family very well, they’re all amazing, and I think she’s doing so well on the TV show.”

Even back then, Katherine thought Shirley should move into the spotlight. She says: “It’s amazing. It is funny, you know but she always had a thing about her. She’s very strong and lovely woman.

“As soon as it got announced, I thought that is perfect casting.

“Shirley really knows what she is. She’s tough but she comes at it from such a technical point that it’s really helpful ­– and it’s helpful for the audience, too.”

Wootton’s Week

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