'£20k for big names who never appeared'

Police are investigating a possible fraud amid reports a promoter took £20,000 by promising to get Jimmy Carr, Michael McIntyre and Frankie Boyle to play a small comedy club.

Antonio Taylor, 25, has reportedly been arrested and released on bail over claims he took the money from the 250-seat Roadhouse in Weymouth as a deposit, on the understanding he would book the stadium-filling comedians for the gig.

The incident came to light after the comedians’ agents spotted an advert claiming their clients were due to play the club, even though there was no such bookings.

But Taylor told the Dorset Echo he had done nothing wrong and had not been arrested. He also claimed the venue, which hosted nights under the name Weymouth Comedy Club, owed him money, after pumping his own funds into the nights.

Taylor also planned a concert at Dorchester Town Football Club this coming May, for which he again said he hoped to book McIntyre. The gig has since been abandoned ‘because of a few issues’.

Click here to read the story on the Dorset Echo website.

Published: 10 Jan 2010