Comics abandon their E4 revolt

The comedians in E4’s Kings Of Comedy have returned to the house, despite threatening to quit over the phone line fiasco that led to the eviction of Scott Capurro.

The stand-ups had been furious that the technology failed to work, leaving the decision to be made by the studio audience rather than viewers at home.

But they all returned to the house in Bristol yesterday, had planned.

Viewers on E4’s internet forums have even claimed the result was rigged because producers could not afford to lose their big name, Stan Boardman, the other comic up for eviction.

"It was the biggest most obvious fix I have ever seen," claimed one correspondent.

Producers said Capurro lost the audience vote 14 votes to 28 and will not return next week.

Writing on Chortle, fellow contestant Janey Godley said: “I am thoroughly disgusted at the way they treated Stan and Scott.

 “I cried backstage. That was a horrible ordeal and could have so easily been any of us comics up there.

“I am terribly upset that [makers] Endemol are trying to stand by that really shit ‘handvote’ at the end of the shambolic episode.

All the stand-ups – which also includes Boothby Graffoe, Andrew Maxwell,  Ava Vidal, Mick Miller and David Copperfield – are allowed out of the Bristol house at weekends.

A Endemol spokeswoman said: "An audience vote was the fairest decision we could make. Everyone was obviously very upset with the phone vote not working. "

>> For Chortle's run-down on all the contestants

Published: 11 Oct 2004