Paul Chowdhry, known for his role on the television show "Taskmaster," has publicly condemned violence following an incident at the end of his comedy performance in Essex. The event took place at the Cliffs Pavilion located in Westcliff-on-Sea, Southend, during his "Englandia” tour on the evening of Saturday.
The altercation, as reported, appears to have stemmed from a heckler disrupting the performance throughout the night. Chowdhry captured footage of the incident, which showed attendees arguing in the stalls of the venue after the show ended. Speaking about the incident in a statement to The Independent, Chowdhry noted that one individual was particularly disruptive, declaring himself to be “UKIP.” He stated, “The crowd wasn’t having it, and the disruption became an issue.”
In the video posted on his Instagram account, Chowdhry described the scene, stating, “Big fight has broken out after the show. It’s properly kicked off out here this evening.” He further documented a specific individual who appeared to be causing additional unrest, saying, “She’s kicking off.” He expressed his desire to maintain a safe distance from the chaos, commenting, “I want to keep out of harm’s way because I might get jumped.”
The incident drew the attention of law enforcement, as officers were called to the venue around 9.35 pm. An Essex Police spokesperson confirmed that reports indicated a fight had erupted and that a man was assaulted, although no serious injuries were recorded. The police are currently conducting inquiries into the matter.
In response to the events, a spokesperson for Trafalgar Entertainment, the operators of the Cliffs Pavilion, addressed the situation, stating, “A small number of customers expressed their frustration towards another customer who had been heckling the act throughout the evening.” They highlighted that their team acted promptly to defuse the situation and reaffirmed their commitment to audience safety. “We take the safety of our audiences, staff and performers very seriously and condemn acts of violence and discrimination in the strongest possible terms," they added.
Chowdhry, in his statement, denounced violence, emphasising that live entertainment should provide a space for enjoyment and engagement rather than conflict. He also mentioned the challenges of managing large audiences, saying, “Hopefully, nothing like this happens at the O2 Arena in London this Thursday – it’s a little trickier managing 10,000 people.”
This incident follows a string of recent occurrences where comedians have faced disruptions from hecklers, suggesting a growing concern within the live performance industry regarding audience behaviour.
Source: Noah Wire Services