Comedian Peter Kay has spoken out after ejecting two audience members from his performance at the AO Arena in Manchester on Saturday night.
The 51-year-old, currently on his Better Late Than Never… Again tour, asked venue security to remove the disruptive individuals after repeated heckling during his set.
In a statement posted on Instagram, Kay addressed the incident, saying:
"At the show on Saturday night, February 8, in Manchester, I had two hecklers disrupting from the very start. I did my best to address the situation and made light of it as any comedian would, but unfortunately, their interruptions continued."
Despite his efforts to defuse the situation, the disruptions persisted, leaving him with "no choice" but to have them removed to ensure the enjoyment of the rest of the audience.
Kay’s ongoing tour has been met with widespread praise, with fans appreciating his long-awaited return to live performances.
"I then tried to ignore them, hoping they'd settle down, but when the disruption persisted into the second half of the show, I asked the audience around them if they were being bothered by the noise.
"They all shouted 'yes’ and when I asked for a show of hands at least 40 people raised theirs.
"At that point I had no choice but to take action. The lady who was escorted out did bear a striking resemblance to Lisa Riley, though I don’t see how that’s an insult.
"This was only the second and third time I’ve had to ask someone to leave during my 114 shows over the past three years of this tour.
"As a comedian, you never want to eject anyone, but when repeated disruptions make it impossible to continue, it’s important to consider the experience of the rest of the audience, who’ve paid to see a show without interruption."
During the incident one fan is reported to have repeatedly shouted "garlic bread" in reference to one of the comedian’s best-known catchphrases, while another was reported to have shouted "we love you."
The 51-year-old, currently on his Better Late Than Never… Again tour, asked venue security to remove the disruptive individuals after repeated heckling during his set.
In a statement posted on Instagram, Kay addressed the incident, saying:
"At the show on Saturday night, February 8, in Manchester, I had two hecklers disrupting from the very start. I did my best to address the situation and made light of it as any comedian would, but unfortunately, their interruptions continued."
Despite his efforts to defuse the situation, the disruptions persisted, leaving him with "no choice" but to have them removed to ensure the enjoyment of the rest of the audience.
Kay’s ongoing tour has been met with widespread praise, with fans appreciating his long-awaited return to live performances.
"I then tried to ignore them, hoping they'd settle down, but when the disruption persisted into the second half of the show, I asked the audience around them if they were being bothered by the noise.
"They all shouted 'yes’ and when I asked for a show of hands at least 40 people raised theirs.
"At that point I had no choice but to take action. The lady who was escorted out did bear a striking resemblance to Lisa Riley, though I don’t see how that’s an insult.
"This was only the second and third time I’ve had to ask someone to leave during my 114 shows over the past three years of this tour.
"As a comedian, you never want to eject anyone, but when repeated disruptions make it impossible to continue, it’s important to consider the experience of the rest of the audience, who’ve paid to see a show without interruption."
During the incident one fan is reported to have repeatedly shouted "garlic bread" in reference to one of the comedian’s best-known catchphrases, while another was reported to have shouted "we love you."
