Jim cancels show over front-row wheelchairs

Jim Davidson cancelled his stand-up show last night - because he didn't want to see disabled people in the front row.

The comic refused to go on stage after he asked the wheelchair-users to move out the way, and they refused.

Audience members said Davidson's actions provoked uproar at the Pavilions Theatre in Plymouth, Devon.

Old soldier Kenneth Hull, 83, was one of those asked to move. He told reporters: "It seems he's happy to tell jokes about invalids but not when they're right under his nose.

"His attitude is disgusting. He did not even come out and apologise."

Terry Davies, whose wife Linda was asked to move, added: "They said he would refuse to go on if we didn't move. Davidson's manager came out to talk to us and he seemed very arrogant.

"I don't know why Davidson acted this way - it can't have been because he was against people with a disability, surely?"

Davidson blamed the theatre. He told The Sun: "I take the mick out of people in the front row and I wasn't going to do that when everyone in the front row was disabled. But the theatre insisted that was where they should sit."

And he told the local paper in Devon: " I love disabled people - I need them in the audience."

The theatre says the disabled people were quite right not to move. A spokesman said: "I am appalled at Mr Davidson's behaviour and we simply do not condone his actions in any way,"

Published: 21 Oct 2003