Evans performs to biggest audience

Lee Evans has set a world record for performing to the biggest comedy audience.

The comic put on a stand-up show to 10,108 people at the Manchester Evening News Arena on Saturday.

The previous record of 8,700 was set by Eddie Izzard at London's Docklands Arena in 1997.

Evans claimed the record as he nears the end of his mammoth nationwide XL tour

He said: ‘I can’t believe it. When I started out 20 years ago I could never have imagined that I would be selling out more nights at Wembley than Coldplay. - just for talking rubbish.

‘Having said that, I’m absolutely knackered.’

Craig Glenday, editor of Guinness World Records, said: ‘It's an incredible achievement to sell out these huge arenas night after night and he fully deserves his place in the Guinness World Records books.’

Unofficial box office figures show that Eddie Izzard sold 13,530 tickets, plus 102 complimentary tickets, when his Sexie tour played the same venue on December 15, 2003.

However, this was not verified by Guinness World Records - which does not go by box office takings, but by counting the actual number of people who show up to see the whole show. Even people who leave early are discounted.

A spokesman said: 'World records have to be adjudicated, and there are stringent guidelines concerning this.

‘Lee Evans’s people paid for an official adjudicator to attend the show in Manchester, and we counted everyone in and out.'

‘Eddie Izzard’s show was not verified by our adjudicator, so cannot be an official record.’

Click here for details of the rest of Evans's XL tour, including his run at the Wembley Arena.

Published: 15 Dec 2003