Comedian Jason Manford has come to the defence of fellow funnyman and longtime friend Peter Kay following recent incidents in which Kay ejected disruptive audience members from his live shows.
Kay, currently on a nationwide tour, was forced to remove two hecklers during a performance in Manchester in February, and once again paused his show at London’s O2 Arena this week to address noisy fans. The interruptions have sparked discussion among fans and fellow performers about the increasing issue of audience behaviour at live comedy shows.
Manford, who is also touring, expressed his support for Kay, calling him a “national treasure” and highlighting the strain such interruptions place on performers who carefully craft their material.
“Most of us have worked hard on a show and we’d love to tell it to you,” Manford said. “I can only imagine for Peter, someone derailing the show shouting so many times — it does get a bit much.”
He also noted a growing trend influenced by social media, where heckling clips are often shared by comedians themselves. While these clips can be entertaining, Manford warned they might unintentionally encourage some fans to see heckling as a normal or welcome part of the show.
“No one’s derailed my show, I’ve not had to shout security on this tour, but it is annoying,” Manford admitted.
The comments come as performers across the UK call for greater audience awareness and respect during live shows.
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