Lancaster dancer and acrobat stranded in Dubai with no income and cancelled Visa

Holly Johnstone was booked on a flight home at the weekend, but flight cancellation left her no way of getting back.
Holly Johnstone is stuck in Dubai.Holly Johnstone is stuck in Dubai.
Holly Johnstone is stuck in Dubai.

The former Ripley St Thomas High School pupil, 28, has been working in the entertainment industry in Dubai for three years.

When coronavirus struck, she immediately lost her job, so set about arranging to return home.

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She had booked a flight with British Airways at 2pm on March 25 - the day before flights were scheduled to cease out of Dubai.

Holly Johnstone performing acrobatics on stage. Photo: Bastien Colliard.Holly Johnstone performing acrobatics on stage. Photo: Bastien Colliard.
Holly Johnstone performing acrobatics on stage. Photo: Bastien Colliard.

Holly said her residence visa was cancelled on the morning of March 24 and everything was ready for her departure the next day until she received an email from BA stating her flight had been cancelled and the UAE had moved the date of closure forward by a day.

"So now, I am stuck in Dubai, with no job, no income coming in, and no way of getting home," she said.

"I am very lucky compared to some people who are stuck abroad, I have thankfully been allowed to stay in my current accommodation for an extra 30 days and we are being given more or less the same advice out here as back at home: to stay at home and to try and only leave your home if you need food or medicine etc.

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"I am just worried as I am now no longer getting an income and I have no idea how long we could possibly be stuck here for and once these 30 days are up...I am unsure as to whether we will still be supported."

Holly on stage. Photo: Bastien Colliard.Holly on stage. Photo: Bastien Colliard.
Holly on stage. Photo: Bastien Colliard.

Holly grew up dancing at Turning Point Theatre Arts in Lancaster and at 18, went to a university for Circus Arts down in London where she earned my degree in Circus Performing.

"I've been in Dubai for three years performing but the last year and a half, I was performing in a beautiful show called La Perle by Franco Dragone," she said.

"But, unfortunately entertainment venues and shows like mine were of the first things to close down and I know many shows across the globe have had to let their employees go so I know I am not alone but its just tremendously crushing to first of all be let go from your dream job but also to know that the industry you are working in and have so much passion for, is going through a crisis of its own and will struggle very much to get back to some kind of normality."

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Holly said that she had been in touch with the British Embassy and has been told that they are gathering up everyone's information and assessing the situation to see what they can do.

She added: "They've told me to keep an eye out for emails about possible flights which I am really hoping will happen soon. I have never checked my emails or the news updates as much in my life!"