Michelle De Swarte called out a punter for munching snacks loudly in her show… only to discover later that she’d ranted at one of her comedy heroines.

Speaking on the Claudia Winkelman’s BBC talk show tonight, the comedian said people eating loud snacks such as crisps during her show is a pet hate, saying: ‘It does my head in.’

Recalling her fateful encounter, she said: ‘I was doing a gig, and someone had brought pistachios, so I just lost it.  I was like, "what are you eating?" And she said, "I'm eating pistachios". 

‘I said, "They don't sell them here". And she went, "No, I brought them from outside." I said, "Outside! You say you support the arts, and you brought the loudest nut from outside into the theatre where I speak!’

‘Anyway, I went off, and it got a laugh, and then after, this person came up to me, and was like, "Oh my God, you just absolutely flambéed Ruby Wax."

‘And I was like, "what?" Because I couldn't see [the audience], and I'm a big fan of Ruby Wax.’

De Swarte then sought out the star to apologise, telling her: ‘I am so sorry. I would shell the pistachios for you and put them in your mouth. Like, I love you. You're a legend.’

But Wax saw the funny side and said the exchange was ‘great’.

• The Claudia Winkleman Show airs at 10:40pm tonight on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.