Comedian Peter Kay has been ‘bundled off stage’ after his gig at a Birmingham arena was abruptly halted after 45 minutes and fans were evacuated. 

Police said a 19-year-old man is now in custody after a ‘suspicious’ bag was found, as crowds anxiously wait outside and police vehicles are stationed outside the venue. 

Peter Kay was performing at Utilita Arena in Birmingham tonight as part of his ‘Better Late Than Never’ tour, when shortly into the 8pm show the crowd was abruptly asked to leave and the comedian was taken off stage. 

Birmingham Police said in a statement: ‘We are assisting with an evacuation at the Utilita Arena in Birmingham after a potential suspicious bag was found.

‘A 19-year-old man is in custody and as a precaution the site is currently subject of a search.

‘We will provide further updates when we can.’

One audience member, Emily Wilson, 34, told the Daily Mail how her and her mother, Rayner Wilson, 69, were left with ‘anxiety, panic and tears’ after being evacuated out of the arena tonight. 

Emily said: ‘I was at the Peter Kay event tonight in Birmingham with my mother. 

Police vans were parked outside the arena tonight as a search was carried out, following the discovery of a ‘suspicious bag’

Pictured: the crowd evacuating at Peter Kay’s show tonight in Birmingham’s Utilita Arena 

An announcer took to the stage after 8pm to ask everyone in the audience to leave due to ‘unforeseen circumstances’ 

The comedian was only 45 minutes into the performance, part of his ‘Better Late Than Never’ tour, when he was bundled off stage 

Police are stationed outside as a search is being carried out 

Police units lined up outside the arena in Birmingham. The Force said in a statement: ‘We are assisting with an evacuation at the Utilita Arena in Birmingham after a potential suspicious bag was found’

‘We were watching the show for about 40 minutes, everyone was laughing and suddenly Peter gets escorted off stage and a stage hand comes on to tell us to evacuate the premises immediately and to follow orders from the arena staff.

‘Everyone fell quiet and confused. My mother, a retired police officer, was immediately scanning and looking for an exit point. Unfortunately we were at the top so we knew it would take a while to leave. 

She continued: ‘As we got out, I immediately started to panic when I saw road closures outside the arena steps and emergency vehicles. 

‘I then heard an emergency worker say bomb scare at that point my mother and I looked for a road where there were no large crowds and I started running. 

‘After five minutes when we got to what felt like a safer area, even though we could hear sirens and see a lot of emergency vehicles, I burst into tears and felt very sick, my heart racing.

‘We decided not to get the train from new street but waiting for a taxi to take us to Birmingham international where we left our car to return home to Stratford upon Avon.’

She added: ‘An evening we so looked forward to. With tickets raising money to cancer. A charity close to our hearts. Instead an evening supposed to be full of laughter was filled with anxiety, panic and tears.’

A photo taken by a member of the audience of a packed crowd before the show began on Friday night 

Crowd members reported that shortly after the show began they were asked to follow the instructions of stewards, security and staff

Outside, roads were reportedly gridlocked as police assisted with a search inside the arena 

The household name had been performing on Friday night as part of his ‘Better Late Than Never’ tour 

Photos at the scene tonight show police vehicles parked outside the arena and crowds of people gathered outside.  

A video shared to social media showed the moment an announcer went on stage and asked people to leave. 

The man said: ‘Ladies and gentleman, due to unforeseen circumstances, we are going to have to stop the show. 

‘So, we’re going to put the house lights up and can you please follow the instructions given to you from the house staff, stewards and security. Thank you.’ 

Members of the audience can then be heard saying: ‘What? Is this a joke?’, in the confusion that follows.  

A spokesperson for the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) said: ‘Utilita Arena Birmingham has been evacuated as a precaution on the advice of West Midlands Police after a potential suspicious bag was found nearby. 

‘The safety and security of our customers and colleagues is our highest priority. We can confirm everyone was safely evacuated and that the venue is secure. 

‘Ticket holders will be contacted directly in due course.’ 

The Birmingham arena is one of the UK’s largest indoor arenas and has a capacity of 15,800 spectators. 

Audience members have shared their shock on social media, with one person writing: ‘Being evacuated from the Peter Kay gig in Birmingham. No information as to why.’ 

Another wrote: ‘Waited years to see Peter Kay. Half hour in and evacuated.  Wonderful.’ 

One audience member posted on X that the comedian had been ‘dragged off stage abruptly and we’ve all been hurried out’. 

Others posted on social media that nearby roads were gridlocked and that security staff wouldn’t tell them what happened. 

Steve Aspinall went to the gig with his wife and said that two men came onto the stage about 45 minutes into the show.

Mr Aspinall told the press: ‘Two guys came on, one with a mic and headphones, one guy whispered to Peter Kay and then he and Peter Kay shot off down the side.’

He said the audience was told to look for security guards and listen out for any announcements.

‘To be honest, I thought it was part of the show at first,’ Mr Aspinall, who lives in Bideford, Devon, said.

‘It was a strange atmosphere, eerie, just confused really (about) what was happening.

‘But it was alright and everyone was calm and left quite quickly with no panic.’ 

Miranda Richardson, 52, a pub landlady from Northampton, attended Peter Kay’s gig and said the comedian was on stage for 45 minutes before two members of staff came on – one of whom spoke into his ear.

She said: ‘It was very swift. One minute (Peter Kay’s) on stage and the gig is great, then two of the event team walk on stage straight to him, quick word and he’s ushered off.

‘The staff tells us due to unforeseen circumstances we all have to evacuate the arena straight away.

‘Staff helped get people out and it was calm and swift. We heard very quickly someone had claimed a bag had been left somewhere.

‘No messing, it was just all out.’

This is a breaking news story, more to follow.