...his first stand-up routine in 28 years

Eddie Murphy performed his first stand-up monologue in 28 years last night, including an impression of Bill Cosby.

The comic collected the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, which ‘recognises people who have had an impact on American society’ in Washington last night.

And during his acceptance, reported as his first stand-up performance in decades, he made reference to the controversy dogging 2009 winner Bill Cosby.

The Washington Post reports that Murphy joked that you know you’ve messed up ‘when they want you to give your trophy back’.

‘Bill has one of these,’ he added: ‘Did y’all make him give it back?’

Then, in Cosby’s voice, he said: ‘You may have heard recently that I allegedly put the pill in the people’s stomach,’ he said in Cosby’s voice. ‘If I ever see or meet this Hannibal Buress in person I am going to try and kill this man!’

Buress was the comic whose routine about the women making allegations against Cosby brought the scandal into the spotlight.

Earlier this year, Murphy had refused to mimic Cosby in a sketch marking Saturday Night Live’s 40th anniversary.

Last week he said it was because ‘there’s nothing funny about it. If you get up there, and you crack jokes about him, you’re just hurting people. You’re hurting him. You’re hurting his accusers’.

At last night’s ceremony at the Kennedy Centre, fellow comics lined up to pay tribute to Murphy.

The boys are back in town. pic.twitter.com/JnJ63LzAOx

— Chris Rock (@chrisrock) October 19, 2015

All I love is to make people laugh and these legends embody that love and positivity. Eddie Murphy!!! pic.twitter.com/pxiXoDjQg6

— Trevor Noah (@Trevornoah) October 19, 2015

Tracy Morgan called Murphy his ‘comedic hero’ and added: ‘He’s the reason I’m in comedy. He’s the reason I have a job. He’s the reason I have a career.’

And offstage Trevor Noah said: ‘Eddie Murphy’s influenced almost every single comedian — especially of my generation. He did everything brilliantly,’

Other previous winners of the Mark Twain award include Tina Fey, Whoopi Goldberg, Will Ferrell and Richard Pryor.

Published: 19 Oct 2015