Scuffle breaks out after heckling at comedy gig

Police said they were making inquiries after reports that a fight broke out and a man was assaulted at the end of a comedy gig.

Emotions boiled over on Saturday after the routine by stand-up comic Paul Chowdhry at the Cliffs Pavilion in Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex.

Theatre management said a "small number of customers expressed their frustration" towards another customer who had been heckling the act throughout the evening.

Police officers attended and they said no serious injuries were reported.

Chowdhry recorded footage on his phone while he was being heckled on stage - and also filmed some of the disruption in the crowd afterwards - before later sharing it on his social media pages.

In a statement he said: "We live in a time when some people feel entitled to disrupt live performances, affecting the experience for everyone else.

"Let me be absolutely clear: I do not condone violence in any form.

"Live entertainment should be a space where people come together to enjoy and engage - not to create conflict.

"Hopefully, nothing like this happens at the O2 Arena in London this Thursday - it's a little trickier managing 10,000 people."

During the heckling, the comedian playfully swore at his tormentor and shouted "I'm gonna take a picture and make sure you're never gonna get back in."

A spokesperson from Trafalgar Entertainment, operator of the Cliffs Pavilion, said: "A small number of customers expressed their frustration towards another customer who had been heckling the act throughout the evening.

"A physical altercation broke out. Our team responded swiftly to defuse the situation.

"We take the safety of our audiences, staff and performers very seriously and condemn acts of violence and discrimination in the strongest possible terms."

Staff appeared to physically restrain a man in the audience while he continued to shout.

A spokesperson from Essex Police said it was called to the venue at about 21:35 GMT.

"It was reported a fight had broken out and a man was assaulted," they said.

"No serious injuries were reported, officers attended and inquiries are ongoing."

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