Comedian Peter Kay has said he had "no choice" but to eject two audience members from his performance on Saturday.
The 51-year-old had two audience members kicked out of the AO Arena in Manchester after they heckled him while he was performing on his Better Late Than Never… Again tour.
In a statement posted to Instagram following the incident, Kay said: "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.
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"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 Bolton-born comedian is said to have made reference to Emmerdale actress Riley when one of the pair was being ejected.
Responding on Instagram, Riley, who plays Mandy Dingle in the ITV soap, said she was not offended by the reference.
The 48-year-old said: "Please draw a line under this now, I am not offended, never was offended.
"I love Peter Kay to pieces, laughter is my favourite medicine."
Kay’s tour, which has been running since 2022 and ends in 2026, is his first since Have Gags Will Travel, which ended in 2019.
The comedian plays sold-out shows at Dublin's 3Arena on 10, 11, and 12 July and 7, 8 and 9 August at the SSE Arena, Belfast.
He has also announced further dates at the 3Arena on 17 and 18 April 2026, and the SSE Arena on 6 June 2026.
Kay began his career in 1996 and made his name on TV shows such as Phoenix Nights, That Peter Kay Thing and Max And Paddy’s Road To Nowhere.
Source: Press Association
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