Fury as Freddie lasts just 20mins

Hundreds of Freddie Starr fans were left fuming when he performed for just 20 minutes in his own show.

More than 600 people had paid £15 to see the comedian in Retford, Nottingham, as part of his Unwrapped tour.

But the 58-year-old failed to raise much of a laugh, and quickly left the stage, and the theatre.

Doreen Anthony of the Majestic Theatre said: "All of us on the staff were dismayed - not just by the shortness of his act, but also by the quality of it. He just wasn't funny.

"I went to see him after the show, but within ten minutes of the curtain coming down he had cleared the theatre. Even his tour manager, who didn't see him go, was surprised he had left so quickly."

"We can only say to everyone who was there we were as disappointed as you were.

"And when the curtain came down everyone around us was saying the same thing. It was a real let-down."

Fan Louise Scott told the Retford Guardian: "We felt right from the start he just didn't want to be there. "

Freddie's agent Derek Block told The Sun that the show lasted two hours with support, adding: "No two performances are the same with him - he's a bit insane and a genius."

Published: 11 Nov 2002