Comedian's show axed after Liverpool parade joke

Shivani Chaudhari
BBC News, Essex
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Andrew Lawrence said he was disappointed his comedy show had been cancelled

A comedian who joked about the Liverpool parade crash has had an upcoming show cancelled following a social media backlash.

Andrew Lawrence said he would "drive through crowds of people" to get out of the city, in a post that has prompted more than 7,000 responses on X.

At least 65 people were injured in Monday's incident, and Caddies in Southend has cancelled Lawrence's upcoming gig, saying it did not "condone or support" the comment.

The 37-year-old responded he was disappointed the venue had "lost their courage after being bombarded with abuse and threats of violence from online trolls".

Many of the comments on the comedian's post have expressed anger at its insensitivity, with one user describing it as "horrific".

Police are continuing to question the suspected driver of the car that crashed into the crowd, which had gathered for Liverpool's Premier League victory parade.

"We send everyone impacted by the tragic events in Liverpool our support and prayers," the Caddies spokesperson added.

Responding on X, Lawrence described the cancellation of his gig as "understandable but disappointing".

"I will reschedule for later in the year at a different venue in Southend, sorry for the inconvenience, have a great day," he added.

Lawrence has also posted a video skit on Instagram based on the incident in Liverpool, which has prompted a similar backlash from users.

In 2021, his stand-up gig in Hampshire was cancelled after racist comments he made about England's black footballers.

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