Comedian Andrew Lawrence, who made a "vile" joke about the Liverpool parade collision has been banned from playing at a number of UK venues.
Thousands of users criticised Lawrence's post on X, with many calling for him to take down his post and issue an apology.
As of Wednesday, Merseyside Police stated that the collision on Bank Holiday Monday has now resulted in 79 confirmed injuries.
According to Merseyside Police's confirmation on Wednesday, the collision on Bank Holiday Monday has now resulted in 79 confirmed injuries.
At the conclusion of Liverpool FC's trophy procession, a car crashed into people on Water Street, leaving terrified supporters scrambling to avoid being struck.
The police are holding a 53-year-old man on suspicion of attempted murder, drug driving and reckless driving.
But who is Lawrence and what did he say?
Who is Andrew Lawrence?
Lawrence is an comedian who works in stand-up comedy, radio and television.
He kicked off his stand-up career performing at a regular comedy night while studying at University of St Andrews.
He made appearances at the Edinburgh Fringe after his university debut, and he finished second in the 2003 So You Think You're Funny competition.
He received a nomination for the main if.comedy prize for his 2007 Fringe production, Social Leprosy For Beginners & Improvers.
Lawrence, mostly as a stand-up comedian, has appeared on many radio and television programs. In the BBC TV sitcom Ideal, he played the role of Marco, a builder, and had several television appearances as a funny actor.
The 2015 sitcom There Is No Escape was the most recent of his four series that he has written and performed for BBC Radio 4.
This isn’t Lawrence’s first controversial post.
After England lost to Italy in the Euro finals, Lawrence posted, “all I'm saying is the white guys scored” which sparked criticism in July 2021.
Following the event, a number of establishments openly condemned his remarks as racist and cancelled his planned performances.
His agent also dropped him.
Lawrence responded on YouTube in November 2021, breaking his quiet on the topic, saying “I can see that this has offended a lot of people, and I’m sorry that black guys are bad at penalties.”
What did he say?
Lawrence had posted on X: “To be fair, if I was in Liverpool, I'd drive through crowds of people to get the f*** out of there as well.”
What has been the reaction?
The comedian's post has received a lot of criticism for its insensitivity, with one user calling it “vile” in one remark.
“You are absolutely vile. You wouldn't utter this sentence if your 9-year-old daughter had been dragged under that car. If anyone deserves to be canceled, this is it. Disgusting person” one user tweeted.
You are absolutely vile. You wouldn't utter this sentence if your 9-year-old daughter had been dragged under that car. If anyone deserves to be canceled, this is it. Disgusting person.
— Anth🇬🇧 (@AnthNFS) May 27, 2025
Another user said: “The tweet from Andrew Lawrence in the wake of the horrific scenes in Liverpool is an absolute disgrace and I urge everyone to email any venues that have booked this "comedian". There's a time and place for comedy, this isn't it.”
The tweet from Andrew Lawrence in the wake of the horrific scenes in Liverpool is an absolute disgrace and I urge everyone to email any venues that have booked this "comedian". There's a time and place for comedy, this isn't it. https://t.co/J6M7ImDPI2
— Jaydees (@_Jaydees_) May 27, 2025
In response to venues cancelling Lawrence’s comedy gigs, one user wrote: “One down, a few more to go.... The little gobs**** still refuses to apologise for his shite attempt at humour.. Maybe, once the rest of the venues pull the plug, he'll realise, actions have consequences. #AndrewLawrence”
One down, a few more to go....
— Transitions Nouveau (@transnouveau) May 28, 2025
The little gobshite still refuses to apologise for his shite attempt at humour..
Maybe, once the rest of the venues pull the plug, he'll realise, actions have consequences. #AndrewLawrence pic.twitter.com/TKIKORg7f7
A fourth user said: “I’m lost for words at how sick people can be in the name of “comedy”. What an absolute disgrace of a human @andrewlawrence really is!”
I’m lost for words at how sick people can be in the name of “comedy”.
— Chris On 𝕏 (@ItsChrisOnX) May 27, 2025
What an absolute disgrace of a human @andrewlawrence really is! pic.twitter.com/Ouphwfpzry
Lawrence was scheduled to perform on June 15 at a comedy club in Essex, but the show has been cancelled.
The Caddies venue issued the following statement: “We do not condone or support the comment that has been made online, and we send everyone impacted by the tragic events in Liverpool our support and prayers.”
In a bold statement, the comedian wrote: “This venue lost their courage after being bombarded with abuse and threats of violence from online trolls.
He has promised to change the show's date and perform somewhere else in Southend.
However, several other comedy clubs have declared in declarations that Lawrence is no longer permitted to perform on their stages.
Including the Hot Water Comedy Club - one of Liverpool's best-known venues - who commented on Instagram: “That's not comedy. It's cruelty, plain and simple.”
Its statement added: “We believe in the power of comedy to challenge, uplift and connect - not to target people in moments of real pain.”
