A man has been charged in connection with the events that led to the evacuation of comedian Peter Kay's show at the Utilita Arena in Birmingham last night.
Omar Majed, 19, has been charged with false communications relating to a bomb hoax.
Majed, of Washwood Heath, Birmingham, has been remanded to appear before magistrates in Birmingham on 4 May.
The comedian was about 45 minutes into his set at Birmingham's Utilita Arena when it was cut short as police investigated a "potential suspicious bag".
An evacuation of the arena was ordered, and following searches, nothing suspicious was found.
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Witnesses said two members of staff came onto the stage about 45 minutes into the performance, whispered into Kay’s ear, and then escorted him off.
Steve Aspinall, who was at the gig with his wife, 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 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.”
Police say they are grateful to everyone for their cooperation and understanding.
A statement from West Midlands Police added: "As always our priority is the safety of the public."
Lifestyle & Culture Editor
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