Lisa Riley appears to have stepped in to defend Peter Kay amid criticism after he kicked out an audience member at a recent gig, calling her "Lisa Riley" in a jibe about her weight.
Kay has come under fire for the comment as well as several others he made on Saturday, February 8 during a Manchester show, but Emmerdale star Riley seems to have broken her silence on the issue.
Comedian Kay, 51, has faced intense backlash for making "nasty" jokes towards hecklers at a recent gig, including one in response to a woman who shouted she "loves" him.
The comedian was performing at his Manchester homecoming gig on Saturday, February 8 as part of his Better Late Than Never Again! tour, and apparently became furious when one man in the crowds kept shouting "garlic bread" - Kay's catchphrase.
Another woman who yelled "we love you" was also booted out, with Kay hitting back with cruel remarks about her weight, comparing her to Emmerdale star Lisa Riley, one witness claimed.
Fans have since slammed the comic, with many explaining they left the show early following his behaviour.
However, Riley, 48, seems to have taken the remarks in her stride and even labelled the comments "funny" in a new Instagram post.
The Emmerdale actress shared a post reading: "Keep calm and laugh," captioning the update: "It’s a laugh, it’s funny!!!" (sic)
The woman who was kicked out by Kay is understood to have yelled: "We love you Peter Kay."
Her remark was met with the comic yelling back: "Go on, off you go Lisa Riley" as she was instructed to leave the show.
Lisa Riley has defended Peter Kay over his 'nasty' comments
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Riley is best known for her role as Mandy Dingle on the ITV soap, and has been open about her battle with weight in the past.
In recent years, the actress has shed an impressive 12 stone after changing her lifestyle habits.
Her response comes soon after reports surfaced that Kay had sparked outrage with the comment as he chucked the woman out of the gig along with another heckler.
During the show, the comedian apparently became furious at perceived hecklers, despite the shouts including references to his catchphrase as well as what others deemed as a positive remark.
The first man was also instructed to leave, with the woman the second to be booted out of the show.
However, many of his other jokes sparked backlash on the same night as he reportedly impersonated a blind person and made a quip about depression.
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Fans were left furious by Peter Kay's behaviour at a recent gigGetty"[It] was embarrassing, the guy only shouted garlic bread and the woman just shouted we love you Peter," one guest at the show recalled.
They continued to say they had "waited 20 years to see him and were disappointed," MailOnline reports.
Another told the publication: "We were sat in front of the guy. He shouted garlic bread about four times, as a professional comedian, he [Kay] should have handled the situation better, the woman only said she loved him! They weren’t heckling or swearing."
The show was branded "chaotic," with another spectator blasting the "nasty and bitter" comments made by the comedian, who found fame in the 1990s.
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