A 77-year-old Father Christmas performer from Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex, has been told he is too large to fit into his costume at Lapland UK, an immersive Christmas experience in Windsor Great Park. Mike Mendoza, who has worked as a professional Santa for four decades, received an email stating his contract was terminated because the costume did not meet performance standards.
Mendoza, a former talkSPORT broadcaster, said the decision left him feeling 'fat shamed' and cost him around £9,000 in lost income. He had turned down about 15 other jobs after being hired for the role, which he described as a 'dream job'. He added that he had never seen a skinny Santa on a Christmas card and that the sacking made no sense.
During a costume fitting, Mendoza was unable to fit into the bespoke red waistcoat and brown lederhosen, with photos showing his backside exposed. Lapland UK offered £40 for the fitting and compensation for one week of scheduled shifts, but Mendoza rejected the offer. He was also removed from a group chat for Santas after joking about a colleague who had to wear a fat suit.
Lapland UK disputed that Mendoza had been sacked, stating that contracts are subject to fittings and that the largest costume size available is XXXL. The company said it could not adjust costumes further before rehearsals. Mendoza, who weighs 20 stone, said he has always been large and that his wife found the situation amusing.
