Man, 19, arrested after 'bomb hoax' at Peter Kay gig which saw arena evacuated and comedian 'bundled off stage'
Spectators were asked to leave around 45 minutes into the show at the Utilita Arena in Birmingham
A 19-year-old man has been arrested after a bomb hoax forced a Peter Kay show to suddenly evacuate.
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The male was placed in custody following the incident, which saw fans evacuated around 45 minutes into the show on Friday evening.
West Midlands Police rushed to the venue and eyewitnesses said they saw the comedian being "bundled off the stage" as the set came to a sudden halt.
Attendees were then ordered to leave the 15,800-seat venue by the arena's managers.
Despite concerns a "suspicious package" had been found, officers confirmed on Saturday morning that it was a hoax.
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A statement from the force said: "Following searches of the Utilita Arena last night no items of a suspicious nature were found.
"A 19-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of a bomb hoax offence and remains in custody this morning as our enquiries continue.
"We're grateful to everyone for their co-operation and understanding. As always our priority is the safety of the public."
The mayor of the West Midlands, Richard Parker praised the swift reaction from security teams.
"Given the heightened situation at the moment, I want to thank the security teams and staff at the Utilita Arena, the police who responded quickly and firmly - and TfWM colleagues who provided support."
Recounting the event, eyewitnesses spoke of the panic and confusion after announcer took to the stage to ask the crowd to leave.
The Utilita Arena confirmed the planned gig on Saturday evening will go ahead as planned.
Speaking to LBC, Dean Stubbins who was inside the Utilita Arena said: "45 minutes into the show, two people in black from backstage came on and spoke to Peter Kay.
"Peter Kay then left without saying anything.
"One of the staff from backstage then said due to unforeseen circumstances the show has ended and to listen to staff nearby for further instructions.
"We were then told to leave. As we got outside everyone remained calm and the instructions were to move away from the venue.
"All the staff were very calm and professional and it was good to see that the plans they have in place work."
Footage circulated online showed a man on stage announcing that those in attendance would have to leave due to the supposed threat.
He tells the audience shortly after 8pm: "Ladies and gentlemen due to unforeseen circumstances we are going to have to stop the show.
"We'll be putting the house lights up and could you please follow the instructions given to you from the house staff, stewards and security."
Kay is currently on his 'Better Late Than Never' tour with dates scheduled throughout 2026, after announcing his comeback last November.
Steve Aspinall was at the gig with his wife and said: "Two guys came on, one with a mic and headphones, one guy whispered to Peter Kay and then he and Peter Kay shot off down the side."
He said the audience was told to look for security guards and listen out for any announcements.
"To be honest, I thought it was part of the show at first," Mr Aspinall, who lives in Bideford, Devon, said.
"It was a strange atmosphere, eerie, just confused really [about] what was happening. But it was alright and everyone was calm and left quite quickly with no panic."
Miranda Richardson, 52, a pub landlady from Northampton, said: "It was very swift. One minute [Peter Kay’s] on stage and the gig is great, then two of the event team walk on stage straight to him, quick word and he’s ushered off.
"The staff tells us due to unforeseen circumstances we all have to evacuate the arena straight away. Staff helped get people out and it was calm and swift.
"We heard very quickly someone had claimed a bag had been left somewhere. No messing, it was just all out."
Emily Wilson, 34, was at the show with her mother, Rayner Wilson, 69, but the pair were left with "anxiety, panic and tears" after the evacuation.
She told the Mail: "I was at the Peter Kay event tonight in Birmingham with my mother.
"We were watching the show for about 40 minutes, everyone was laughing and suddenly Peter gets escorted off stage and a stage hand comes on to tell us to evacuate the premises immediately and to follow orders from the arena staff.
"Everyone fell quiet and confused. My mother, a retired police officer, was immediately scanning and looking for an exit point. Unfortunately, we were at the top, so we knew it would take a while to leave."
She added: "As we got out, I immediately started to panic when I saw road closures outside the arena steps and emergency vehicles.
"An evening we so looked forward to. With tickets raising money to cancer. A charity close to our hearts. Instead, an evening supposed to be full of laughter was filled with anxiety, panic and tears."
The evacuation comes just one day after the UK's terror threat alert was raised to severe - meaning an attack was highly likely in the next six months.
The venue said: "Following the precautionary evacuation of Utilita Arena Birmingham during Peter Kay’s performance last night, Friday 1st May, we can confirm that tonight’s Peter Kay event, Saturday 2nd May, at Utilita Arena Birmingham will go ahead as planned.
"Following an extensive search by West Midlands Police, no items of a suspicious nature were found, and the building was determined to be safe.
"West Midlands Police are satisfied with the security measures in place."
The arena added: "We would like to thank the attendees of yesterday’s Peter Kay event for their cooperation, which ensured a swift and safe evacuation.
"Ticket holders for yesterday’s Peter Kay performance will be contacted with the next steps from their original point of purchase.
"At Utilita Arena Birmingham, the safety and security of our customers and colleagues is always our first priority.
"Our security measures include several overt and covert security measures, so whilst you may not see all operational security activity, you should be assured that it is ongoing.
"Our Evolv security system uses advanced sensors and AI technology to screen everyone and their bags as they enter the arena, helping security teams identify potential threats quickly and accurately, supported by additional bag searches as required."