British comic Dan Willis has been punched by a racist heckler during a Melbourne gig.

The loud-mouthed punter had spent the night jeering at all the comedians on the bill at Young And Jacksons bar.

But, Willis says, his comments took a racist turn when Asian-Australian comic Nick Sun, winner of the So You Think You're Funny? competition at the Edinburgh Fringe last year, took to the stage.

Willis added: "Nick did well, but the guy just wouldn't shut up

"Then I went on, he heckled, I put him down utilising my Shakespearian skill of being 40 times as rude back to him in his face.

"The crowd cheered, he shut up and the  gig went great. But as I came off he ushered me over saying, 'Dan I've got a joke for you' - and punched me.

"He was drunk, I was sober so I ducked most of it,  but got a bit of a clobber on the ear and chee. He grabbed my chest, threatened to rip my heart out, then, luckily, his mates dragged him off me.

"It turned out he was an Army sergeant out with his unit. His squaddies told me none of them could say anything to him because he makes their lives hell, so they thought it was great that I was putting him down so heavily."

The man was then thrown out of the venue.

Willis added: "I'm only slightly bruised but have got five minutes of material out of it."