Jim Davidson fumes at Peterborough’s The Cresset after being banned from returning

Jim Davidson will not return to The Cresset after the theatre banned him for being ‘rude to customers’ - a claim the furious comedian denies.
Jim DavidsonJim Davidson
Jim Davidson

The former host of Big Break performed at the venue last Wednesday evening but slammed the conditions, claiming that the building was freezing and the sound system was so poor he strained his voice trying to be heard, forcing him to cancel future shows in Scotland and Workington.

At first the Cresset laughed off the claims, with a spokesperson saying “nobody insults us quite like Jim does!” and that they were looking forward to his return next year.

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But that show will now not go ahead with the theatre claiming it has received complaints from customers, although Mr Davidson insisted he had no idea what they were related to.

Jim DavidsonJim Davidson
Jim Davidson

The outspoken comedian spoke to the Peterborough Telegraph yesterday morning and listed a number of issues he claimed to have had on the night of his performance, while poking fun at MP for Peterborough Fiona Onasanya who was recently jailed for perverting the course of justice.

He said: “I went on stage and the sound system was appalling. By the time I came off at half-time I was in agony with my throat. I did two-and-a-quarter hours on stage.

“The audience were freezing cold and jammed in. I feel sorry for them. There was a spare seat in the front - I thought ‘that’s for the MP’.

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“It was obvious to me The Cresset did not care if I was there or not. I phoned my agent saying ‘I’m not going to The Cresset anymore’. He said ‘don’t worry about that, you’ve been banned’.

“They are saying I was rude to the audience before the show. That’s a first for me. Was I rude to 800 of them, or two of them?

“I’ve been going to The Cresset as long as I can remember. They need to man up a bit.

“I will be coming back to Peterborough and will be performing somewhere else.”

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Pam Banham​, box office and venue programming manager at The Cresset, wrote to a representative of Mr Davidson telling him that the former Celebrity Big Brother winner was not welcome back next year for a number of reasons, but “mainly the fact that he was rude to customers before and after the show” in the foyer.

She also claimed that he had been berating members of staff. She added: “The Cresset staff are used to Jim and his tantrums and ignore this usually as he is a customer. Indeed I think this is my fourth time of hearing his tirade about The Cresset,

“What I can’t and won’t accept is his rudeness to our paying customers. I have had complaints about his behaviour, and as I was here on the night I can back them up.

“Obviously Jim doesn’t enjoy his time at The Cresset so, reluctantly, I feel it is better if he doesn’t put himself through the agony anymore.”