Comedian barred from venues after making 'vile' joke about Liverpool parade collision

A comedian who made a "vile" joke about the Liverpool parade collision has been barred from performing at several venues across the UK.

Andrew Lawrence had written on the social media site 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." The post attracted criticism from thousands of users - with many urging him to delete his comment and apologise. Lawrence had been due to perform at a comedy club in Essex on 15 June, but the gig has now been cancelled.

In a statement, the Caddies venue said: "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." The comedian struck a defiant tone, writing: "This venue lost their courage after being bombarded with abuse and threats of violence from online trolls." He has vowed to reschedule the show and perform at a different location in Southend. But a number of other comedy clubs have issued statements to say that Lawrence is no longer welcome on their stages.

Read more:Fan's baby 'flung 15ft in pram' during paradeReconstructed: What happened - and when The Hot Water Comedy Club - one of Liverpool's best-known venues - said 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." The club said he will no longer appear at any of its events because "his brand of cruelty has no place in the kind of comedy we stand for".

It also urged other promoters and comedians to "think carefully" before deciding to book Lawrence or share a stage with him. "If you're standing by him, you're standing against everything this industry should represent," the Hot Water Comedy Club added.

The Comedy Store, which has venues in London and Manchester, confirmed it has also barred Lawrence and "stands beside" the people of Liverpool. Merseyside Police confirmed on Wednesday that 79 people are now known to have been injured in the collision on Bank Holiday Monday.

As Liverpool FC's trophy parade came to an end, a car drove into crowds on Water Street - with panicked fans watching in horror and trying to avoid being hit. A 53-year-old man is being held on suspicion of attempted murder, dangerous driving and drug driving.

Detectives have been given more time to question the suspect..