Crossword Genius

Follow commercial that's interrupted performance (6)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

shadow

I'm a little stuck... Click here to teach me more about this clue!

'follow' is the definition.
(shadow can mean to follow secretly)

'commercial that's interrupted performance' is the wordplay.
I cannot really understand how this works, but
'commercial' could be 'ad' (abbreviation for advertisement) and 'ad' is located in the answer.
'performance' could be 'show' (eg a theatrical show) and 'show' is found in the leftover letters.
No letters remain.
This may be the basis of the clue (or it may be nonsense).

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for shadow that I've seen before include "Follow - dark patch" , "Trace - dog" , "Partial or complete darkness" , "Secretly tail someone" , "Unilluminated area" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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