Peter Kay releases statement after kicking three people out of gig and receiving backlash over Lisa Riley joke

Peter Kay has released a statement after three hecklers were ejected from his Manchester gig at the AO Arena on Saturday (8 February).

A man and his son were reportedly removed by security for shouting 'garlic bread' numerous times, while a woman was taken out as Kay compared her to Emmerdale star Lisa Riley.

According to The Sun, Kay said to her: “Have a drink, have we? Go on, off you go Lisa Riley.”

In a statement provided to Good Morning Britain, Kay said he 'felt he had no option but to remove the hecklers and said they were spoiling the show'.

He said: "I didn't realise it was an insult. She did look remarkably like Lisa Riley, I didn't realise that was an insult.

Some members of the audience were kicked out of a recent Peter Kay gig. (Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images)

"There comes a point when dealing with repeated hecklers simply isn't enough. It's not something you ever want to do but it becomes a point when it's no longer fair to everyone around."

Lisa Riley supported Peter Kay, posting on social media that she 'loves Peter Kay to pieces' and said he was just having a 'laugh'.

According to the Mirror, a man who was removed for shouting 'garlic bread', a known catchphrase of the comedian, got a positive response from Kay when he said it in the first half of the gig.

However, when he said it again in the second half of the show during a joke about kidney stones he claimed security guards went over and removed him and his son, saying 'Peter Kay doesn't like people shouting out'.

According to the Manchester Evening News, the lights came on and Kay picked the man out, and while he first thought it was a joke before 'six or seven' members of security came to escort him out.

Kay is currently on tour. (Shirlaine Forrest/WireImage)

Another member of the audience reportedly shouted out 'we love you' to the comedian and was asked to leave, and this is the point where Kay made a remark comparing her to Lisa Riley.

Riley herself said: "Please draw a line under this now, I am not offended, never was offended. I love Peter Kay to pieces. Laughter is my favourite medicine."

The comedian is currently on his Peter Kay Live: Better Late Than Never... Again! tour, which is taking him around the UK and has proved to be very popular with tickets selling out all over the place.

LADbible has contacted the AO Arena for comment.