Comic attacked on stage

Scottish comic Alan Anderson has been punched in the face after a run-in with a heckler.

Police arrested  a schoolteacher in his fifties following the incident at Baby Blue in Liverpool, but Anderson chose not to press charges.

The comic – who also runs a chain of gigs in Scotland – said: ‘My surprise is not only that it has taken 13 years for me to get punched, but also  that it was an audience member who did it and not a comedian with a grudge.’

Anderson was attacked as he compered a ‘boisterous’ gig on Saturday night which was continually disrupted by chatting and heckling, largely from stag and hen parties.

The flashpoint came after he was interrupted by a ‘young, persistent, drunk’ just as he was introducing headliner Andy Askins.

The disruptive heckler shouted: ‘You're shit’ – to which Anderson replied: ‘Ach I'm used to hearing that, particularly at breakfast time when I ask your mum what she wants to eat for breakfast.’

He later told Chortle: ‘Granted it was not a very highbrow reply, however the entire barrel of heckler putdowns had already been scraped previously in the gig.’

After a few seconds an older man approached the stage and quietly said to Anderson: ‘His mum's not with us any more’ – then punched him in the jaw.

Anderson remained upright and continued to describing the scene as the bouncers ejected the attacker and the stag group he was with. Police were called as the gig continued.

Published: 1 May 2012