Lee Hurst

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Lee Hurst denies smashing audience member's phone
By Lucy Cockcroft
31 Dec 2008

The bald comedian is alleged to have grabbed the phone during a performance at the Stoke Pub in Guildford, Surrey and thrown it to the floor. Mr Hurst, 56, a former star of TV show They Think It's All Over, appeared in the dock at Guildford Magistrates Court wearing jeans and a grey top for the brief hearing on New Year's Eve. He is accused of destroying an £80 Motorola K1 handset belonging to Gareth Hughes either intentionally or recklessly on September 4 this year.

Prosecutor Liz Highams said Mr Hurst believed Mr Hughes was filming him so he grabbed his £80 mobile phone and threw it on the floor causing it damage. However, Mr Hurst claims he was not present when the incident occurred. He entered a plea of not guilty to the charge of criminal damage, telling the court: "I wasn't there". The charge carries a maximum sentence of three months jail and a fine.

Mr Hurst, from Limehouse, south-east London, indicated he would be representing himself at trial. Chair of the Bench, Edwina Dunne, released Mr Hurst on unconditional bail until his trial at Guildford Magistrates Court on 16 February, 2009.

When asked outside the court what he thought of the charges, Mr Hurst said: "I think it is all a bit comical."

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Comical? What about the audience who saw him do it!

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Comic Blames Phone Smash On YouTube 'Thieves'
Stand-up comic Lee Hurst has raged against video site YouTube after admitting smashing up a mobile phone he claims was being used to film one of his routines.
February 16, 2009

Hurst, 46, pleaded guilty in court to grabbing the handset from an audience member during a performance at the Stoke Pub in Guildford, Surrey. The former They Think It's All Over panel member said he smashed Gareth Hughes' £80 Motorola K1 out of anger after "thieves" had posted footage of his gigs on video websites. He also accused writers of recording his material so they could copy his jokes and sell them to television shows.

Representing himself Guildford Magistrates' Court, Hurst, said: "It is awful. You are accused of stealing your own material. It is like having your tools stolen if your material is taken." Outside court, the bald-headed comedian called for YouTube to be banned, describing the video site as "the biggest piece of c*** ever. We just need the same protection that is afforded to the cinema on copyright theft."

Hurst, from Narrow Street, Limehouse, east London, said he had seen Mr Hughes holding up his mobile with the "light shining towards me". He added: "I moved to the right and the light followed me. I moved back to the centre and the light followed me again. I realised he was filming me."

The chairman of the bench Jon Curtis told him: "Although we have some sympathy with the situation you found yourself in it is clearly not an excuse to cause damage." Hurst was fined £60, and ordered to pay compensation of £80 and £87 costs after admitting a charge of criminal damage.

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Hurst is an ok comedian, no doubt, but I don't think there's many pro comics or writers who would be stealing from him. He's too well known for it not to be noticed. I can't actually remember any of his jokes though, so they can't have been that good.

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This is a report from Channel 4 News about Hurst and gag theft in general.