Suspicious bag forces evacuation at Peter Kay show in Birmingham

A suspicious bag stopped Peter Kay’s Birmingham show and triggered a precautionary evacuation at the Utilita Arena in Birmingham, where West Midlands Police said a 19-year-old man was in custody and the site was being searched. The incident unfolded during the comedian’s performance, which was halted about 45 minutes in as security moved the crowd out of the venue.

West Midlands Police said at 9.30pm on Friday, 1 May 2026, that officers were assisting with an evacuation after a potential suspicious bag was found. The force said the arena was subject to a precautionary search while the matter was assessed. Audience members reported that Kay was rushed off stage before the crowd was hurried out, turning a sold-out comedy night into a security operation in front of thousands of people.

The Utilita Arena said everyone was safely evacuated and that the venue was secure. A spokesperson said the evacuation was precautionary on the advice of West Midlands Police and that ticket holders would be contacted directly in due course. The arena, one of Birmingham’s largest indoor entertainment sites, can seat around 15,800 people. For the Peter Kay event, doors opened at 6pm and the show was scheduled to begin at 8pm.

The arena’s event page said the show was strictly 15+, and that all bags were searched before entry, underscoring the layered security checks in place at major live events. Even with those controls, the discovery of a suspicious item forced staff and police into immediate action, with public-safety protocol taking priority over the performance.

Kay’s current tour marks a major return to stand-up comedy after a 12-year break, and the venue says the run across the UK and Ireland is tied to fundraising, with all profits donated to 12 cancer charities. Those charities include Children With Cancer UK, Teenage Cancer Trust, Kidney Cancer UK, Blood Cancer UK, Bowel Cancer UK, Prostate Cancer UK, DKMS UK, Ovarian Cancer Action, Pancreatic Cancer UK, Anthony Nolan, The Brain Tumour Charity and Breast Cancer UK. The arena also notes that Kay’s 2010 tour remains officially listed by Guinness World Records as the biggest-selling comedy tour of all time.