Peter Kay Birmingham Show Evacuated Over Suspicious Bag

A Peter Kay comedy show at the Utilita Arena in Birmingham was evacuated about 45 minutes into the performance on Friday evening after police identified a potentially suspicious bag at the venue.

The show began around 8 p.m., following doors opening at 6 p.m., at the arena, which has a capacity of about 15,800 people. Witnesses reported that the comedian was taken off stage by security shortly before 8:45 p.m., after which a production team member informed the audience that the performance would not continue. Attendees were then directed to evacuate the building without prior warning.

West Midlands Police confirmed they were responding to the suspicious bag, stating, "We are carrying out an evacuation at the Utilita Arena in Birmingham after a potential suspicious bag was found. A 19-year-old man is in custody and as a precaution the site is currently subject of a search. We will provide further updates when we can." Officers arrested the man, though they did not specify the exact suspicion. The venue, which enforces a strict bag policy limiting sizes to no larger than A4 dimensions and prohibiting rucksacks, remained under search as a precaution.