Court appearance for Whitney

Comic David Whitney has been released on bail after allegedly headbutting a heckler at an Edinburgh Fringe show.

The 31-year-old appeared briefly at the city’s Sheriff Court yesterday, facing a charge of assault to severe injury and permanent disfigurement. He made no plea or declaration n court.

According to witnesses, the attack at The Canons Gait pub on the Royal Mile happened after banter between the comic and the punter, believed to be a regular drinker there, turned nasty in the early hours of yesterday.

Whitney is said to have turned the atmosphere sour by verbally ‘bullying’ the punter, who had made interjections from his position at the bar. Compere Ro Campbell stepped in and removed Whitney from the stage, and as he passed the bar, he is said to have headbutted the victim, leaving his face gushing with blood – to the shock of the 70-strong audience.

One punter, Robert Dare, told Chortle: ‘He just nutted a heckler. Incredibly unprofessional and stupidly childish.’

Police were called to the venue, part of the PBH Free Fringe, and arrested Whitney, while the victim was taken him to hospital. However, the show went on.

Peter Buckley-Hill, organiser of the PBH Free Fringe which programmes the venue, said: ‘The comedian concerned is not a member of the Free Fringe and was doing a guest spot. He will do no guest spots with us in the future.

‘Our shows are usually completely free of conflict: even hecklers are rare. Shows at the Canons' Gait have hitherto been models of co-operation between audience and performers. I myself had a wonderful show with guest comedians on the same night as the incident.

‘This is not only untypical of our shows: it is the antithesis of their spirit. We have some of the nicest shows on the fringe. This Incident is so untypical that it is off the scale.

‘Lest this Incident be blown out of proportion, let it be said that the show went on, it seems with the approval of its audience.’

Whitney, who worked on Channel 4’s Fonejacker series, once plated bagpipes at Gwen Stefani’s wedding and was a finalist in the Hackney Empire Best New Act of The Year in 2007. Originally from Aberdeen, he attended military school in Surrey before studying for an acting degree in London.

The full case will be heard at a later, unspecified date.

Published: 19 Aug 2010