Overweight Schoolgirl Distraught After She’s Assigned Augustus Gloop Part In School Play

Lexi Shaw was given the unwanted part of Augustus Gloop in a school production/SWNS

A 12-year-old girl was left in floods of tears after she was given the part of chubby overeater Augustus Gloop in the school Christmas play.

Lexi Shaw, who has suffered years of bullying over her size, was stunned when she was sent the script with her initials next to the overweight male role for the Year 8 production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

She was invited to learn some of Gloop’s lines, which include: “Chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, I love the chocolate, I must eat all the time!”

Gloop, who famously falls into Willy Wonka’s chocolate river, is the first of the Golden Ticket winners to meet a sticky fate in Roald Dalh’s beloved children’s book.

Augustus was played by Philip Wiegratz in the 2005 film Charlie And The Chocolate Factory where his character fall into a chocolate river/SWNS

Lexi was off sick with tonsillitis last Friday when she received the script from Lees Brook Community School in Chaddesden, Derbyshire, which left her mother Becky “fuming and disgusted.”

She said: “We have had so many meetings with the school about her weight so for them to do this is absolutely disgusting.

"When she first read the script she was angry, sad and embarrassed because she really hates how she looks.”

Lexi, who has learning difficulties, has suffered years of bullying after health issues meant she piled on the pounds and now weighs around ten stone.

"She was really worried she would have to perform in front of hundreds of pupils,” Becky added.

"She was upset and confused when she realised she would be playing Augustus Gloop. She didn’t even audition for a part in the production. The teachers have typecast her because of her size. It’s appalling.

"Lexi has tried very hard to lose weight, and we have taken advice from health professionals."

In the 1971 version of the film, Augustus was played by Michael Bollner/Rex

In the original novel, Augustus is described as an enormously fat boy who has "fat bulging from every fold, with two greedy eyes peering out of his doughball of a body.”

He was played by Michael Bollner in 1971 musical film Willy Wonka which starred Gene Wilder in the main role, and by Philip Wiegratz in the 2005 Johnny Depp adaptation directed by Tim Burton.

Lexi, who has a brother Harley, 11, was diagnosed with a range of learning difficulties following an NHS psychological assessment earlier this year.

Becky, who works as a butcher, said: “She doesn’t understand any of the work so she then doesn’t understand what she is doing there and gets frustrated.”

Headteacher Zoe House confirmed on Thursday that the school was investigating the decision behind assigning Lexi the role of Augustus Gloop.

She said Lexi would not be forced to play any role she was "not comfortable with.”

She added: “The drama co-coordinator rang home to discuss things with mum and reassure that we would obviously sort things out for Lexi but mum did not answer and has not returned the call.”