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Lancashire panto star Ted Robbins says sorry for on-stage comments

7:00pm Tuesday 10th January 2012 in Preston Photograph of the Author By Jon Livesey, Reporter

'SORRY' Ted Robbins 'SORRY' Ted Robbins

COMEDIAN Ted Robbins has apologised amid claims he upset a child with learning difficulties on stage during panto.

The 55-year-old funnyman, who lives in Rossendale, said seven-year-old Sebastian Pautsch, who suffers from autism, was in a group of children who were invited on stage during a performance of Aladdin at Preston Guild Hall last month.

Mr Robbins admitted suggesting the little boy’s behaviour was unusual, but said staff had failed to mention that he had autism.

He said he was ‘mortified’ and ‘genuinely sorry’ that he had upset the child, and that he had personally apologised to the family.

Mr Robbins, who presents a show on Radio Lancashire, said: “I always have a bit of a laugh and a joke with the kids, but I think his mum thought I was mocking him.

“My first thing was that I was mortified because I would never purposely upset a kid. I have kids of my own and have spent my life working with kids in pantos.

“This little boy, looking back now, did behave in a certain way and I said ‘have you had a lot of additives?’ or something like that.

“I think I said something along the lines of ‘there’s 500 kids in this theatre and I get this one’.

“He wasn’t upset on the stage. If I’d have known he was upset I wouldn’t have used any lines of jocularity.

“There have been times when I have thought a child was upset and I have said ‘do you want to go back to mummy and daddy?’ and made sure they got back with some sweeties.

“I’m not a cruel comic and I never have been. Anyone who knows me will tell you that, if anything, I’m overly soft.”

Following the incident on December 22, theatre bosses yesterday confirmed the boy’s mother, Rowena Face, had lodged an official complaint about comments made by Mr Robbins.

The comedian, who played Widow Twankey, said he had since contacted the family to apologise.

He said: “I said to his mum, perhaps I should have known he had learning difficulties, but little lads act differently all the time, especially if they’re nervous or overwhelmed.

“I have personally apologised to Rowena and asked if there was anything I could do, so I have left that with them.

“I would like to think Sebastian’s family and myself are on good terms now.

“I’m genuinely sorry that I upset him. If I’d have know he had learning difficulties I wouldn’t have set about things in the way I did.

“I’ve been in this business for donkey’s years and this is the first time anybody has ever complained about anything like this.”

Bernard Hayes, Preston City Council’s deputy chief executive, said an investigation into the incident was under way.

The family has been offered a free family ticket to attend next year’s panto at the Guild Hall, he added.

A spokesman for the Guild Hall said manager Chris Haylett had also written a letter of apology to the family.

Comments(29)

Norman the Wangler says...
7:16pm Tue 10 Jan 12

Ted you complete rotter!

no, im joking. i.feel a bit sorry for both the boy and ted. i bet the he wanted.the ground to swallow him up when he realised. and nobody likes to think of kids upset either. poor lad. and poor ted too!

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oldgit says...
7:25pm Tue 10 Jan 12

Its a sad world we live in, Ted was having a laugh with the kids and his mother felt she had to complain, Once the British had the best sense of humour in the world, now were to scared to open our mouths without fearing we offended someone, whatever happened to sticks and stones may break my bones but calling names can't hurt me.

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stan the man says...
8:11pm Tue 10 Jan 12

Very unfortunate all round, perhaps the parents should have made it clear concerning the child or held him back when Ted Robbins asked for volunteers and he does seem mortified as he has upset the family.

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kateash says...
8:16pm Tue 10 Jan 12

Come on mum! Give Ted a break. He wasnt to know !

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who said that says...
8:20pm Tue 10 Jan 12

oldgit wrote:
Its a sad world we live in, Ted was having a laugh with the kids and his mother felt she had to complain, Once the British had the best sense of humour in the world, now were to scared to open our mouths without fearing we offended someone, whatever happened to sticks and stones may break my bones but calling names can't hurt me.
Sorry oldgit, but I think you are wrong. This child has a disability and the last thing that he needs is ridiculing.

You say that at one time we had a good sense of humour. We also once had freak shows and thank goodness that those days have gone.

I hope that one day you don't get dementia and someone decides to use your condition to get a few cheap laughs!!

Ted has obviously reflected on what has happened and realised the hurt this will have caused the child and his family, whilst you on the other hand still seem to think that there was nothing wrong in what was said..........shame on you!

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ratshowilikeit says...
8:26pm Tue 10 Jan 12

Autistic children fall into the bracket of you cant tell just by looking @them ted is a good man just unlucky this time

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Chris P Bacon says...
8:43pm Tue 10 Jan 12

who said that wrote:
oldgit wrote:
Its a sad world we live in, Ted was having a laugh with the kids and his mother felt she had to complain, Once the British had the best sense of humour in the world, now were to scared to open our mouths without fearing we offended someone, whatever happened to sticks and stones may break my bones but calling names can't hurt me.
Sorry oldgit, but I think you are wrong. This child has a disability and the last thing that he needs is ridiculing.

You say that at one time we had a good sense of humour. We also once had freak shows and thank goodness that those days have gone.

I hope that one day you don't get dementia and someone decides to use your condition to get a few cheap laughs!!

Ted has obviously reflected on what has happened and realised the hurt this will have caused the child and his family, whilst you on the other hand still seem to think that there was nothing wrong in what was said..........shame on you!
Yes, there should be a panel of 'experts' to whom the comments of the person on stage should be passed and once deemed acceptable, it's allowed to be uttered to the audience. Or to an individual. That's got to be the way forward, hasn't it?

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who said that says...
9:01pm Tue 10 Jan 12

Chris P Bacon wrote:
who said that wrote:
oldgit wrote:
Its a sad world we live in, Ted was having a laugh with the kids and his mother felt she had to complain, Once the British had the best sense of humour in the world, now were to scared to open our mouths without fearing we offended someone, whatever happened to sticks and stones may break my bones but calling names can't hurt me.
Sorry oldgit, but I think you are wrong. This child has a disability and the last thing that he needs is ridiculing.

You say that at one time we had a good sense of humour. We also once had freak shows and thank goodness that those days have gone.

I hope that one day you don't get dementia and someone decides to use your condition to get a few cheap laughs!!

Ted has obviously reflected on what has happened and realised the hurt this will have caused the child and his family, whilst you on the other hand still seem to think that there was nothing wrong in what was said..........shame on you!
Yes, there should be a panel of 'experts' to whom the comments of the person on stage should be passed and once deemed acceptable, it's allowed to be uttered to the audience. Or to an individual. That's got to be the way forward, hasn't it?
No, I don't think that this is necessary. I think that when the realisation is made that an individual maybe struggling somewhat, a certain amount of tact can be used.

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disgusted tunbridge wells says...
9:05pm Tue 10 Jan 12

Ted has given up thousands of hours to help raise money for those less fortunate, give the chap a break,how did this get in the paper ?

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Your ferret stinks says...
9:25pm Tue 10 Jan 12

disgusted tunbridge wells wrote:
Ted has given up thousands of hours to help raise money for those less fortunate, give the chap a break,how did this get in the paper ?
Completely agree!

If you have a wonky eye or a short leg, are bald with a bent ear, then of course your going to get the micky taken out of you and in some cases it may hurt! but the fact remains what it is and its funny! so stop crying about nothing and give the guy a break who has raised more money for disadvantaged childeren than you self righteous pompous arm chair critics will ever do! if you can be bothered!!

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Your ferret stinks says...
9:25pm Tue 10 Jan 12

disgusted tunbridge wells wrote:
Ted has given up thousands of hours to help raise money for those less fortunate, give the chap a break,how did this get in the paper ?
Completely agree!

If you have a wonky eye or a short leg, are bald with a bent ear, then of course your going to get the micky taken out of you and in some cases it may hurt! but the fact remains what it is and its funny! so stop crying about nothing and give the guy a break who has raised more money for disadvantaged childeren than you self righteous pompous arm chair critics will ever do! if you can be bothered!!

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Cuttingsky says...
9:27pm Tue 10 Jan 12

I've not read anything so ridiculous in a very long time. Sounds like a complete unfortunate set of circumstances. Where is the evidence the lads behaviour was due to his difficulty as opposed to excitement of being on the stage. Give Ted credit he has not sought to justify his words and has unreservedly apologised. For mum to complain in my opinion is OTT. Again in my opinion I can see the offer of a ticket to next years panto being rejected as derisory. Again just my thoughts.

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QuarryGang78 says...
9:42pm Tue 10 Jan 12

“I’ve been in this business for donkey’s years and this is the first time anybody has ever complained about anything like this.”

'To long Ted' 'come back Jim'
at least Bowen had a go at people who could fight back..or sulk.

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littlechicken says...
9:48pm Tue 10 Jan 12

Anyone who has met Ted Robbins would know he would never humiliate anyone, especially a child. Having met Ted on several occasions he has always gone out of his way to speak with my family and my three year old daughter thinks he is wonderful due to his funny and friendly personality. For the past two years we have been to watch his panto and have thoroughly enjoyed it. Both times Ted has joked with the children on the stage and for anyone to take offence to the jokes it would have to be taken totally out of context. I agree with the other comments on here, that if the mother of the child had any concerns that he might get upset she should have not let him go on stage. Hopefully the boys family will accept Ted's sincere apology and stop drawing more attention to the child. As bringing this to the attention of the media surely causes more stress to the child than the original incident?

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littlechicken says...
9:49pm Tue 10 Jan 12

Anyone who has met Ted Robbins would know he would never humiliate anyone, especially a child. Having met Ted on several occasions he has always gone out of his way to speak with my family and my three year old daughter thinks he is wonderful due to his funny and friendly personality. For the past two years we have been to watch his panto and have thoroughly enjoyed it. Both times Ted has joked with the children on the stage and for anyone to take offence to the jokes it would have to be taken totally out of context. I agree with the other comments on here, that if the mother of the child had any concerns that he might get upset she should have not let him go on stage. Hopefully the boys family will accept Ted's sincere apology and stop drawing more attention to the child. As bringing this to the attention of the media surely causes more stress to the child than the original incident?

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bubble of reason says...
10:15pm Tue 10 Jan 12

A panto with ........
Row en a Face!
Sounds like it.

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MrMungus says...
11:11pm Tue 10 Jan 12

oldgit wrote:
Its a sad world we live in, Ted was having a laugh with the kids and his mother felt she had to complain, Once the British had the best sense of humour in the world, now were to scared to open our mouths without fearing we offended someone, whatever happened to sticks and stones may break my bones but calling names can't hurt me.
Spot on
Why send the child up there if he can't behave. Just looking for publicity an compensation. Grow up and stop bleating at every opportunity.

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Keep Darwen Green says...
11:12pm Tue 10 Jan 12

Your ferret stinks wrote:
disgusted tunbridge wells wrote:
Ted has given up thousands of hours to help raise money for those less fortunate, give the chap a break,how did this get in the paper ?
Completely agree!

If you have a wonky eye or a short leg, are bald with a bent ear, then of course your going to get the micky taken out of you and in some cases it may hurt! but the fact remains what it is and its funny! so stop crying about nothing and give the guy a break who has raised more money for disadvantaged childeren than you self righteous pompous arm chair critics will ever do! if you can be bothered!!
I thought that was called bullying? silly me. So to mock the afflicted is fair game? All dingles with six digits take cover.

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gazzandste says...
12:37am Wed 11 Jan 12

Typical comment from you. Stick to bleating about your darling drovers of deadwood park. Teds a great guy he doesnt need this.

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DJ_Jaybee says...
12:50am Wed 11 Jan 12

Cotton wool mum isn't gonna help the lad. Diddums.

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jonsta says...
8:10am Wed 11 Jan 12

one hell of a nice guy ted would never be rude let alone be cruel to anyone less fortunate than than the norm. keep going ted your doing a great job

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frank says...
8:38am Wed 11 Jan 12

Cuttingsky wrote:
I've not read anything so ridiculous in a very long time. Sounds like a complete unfortunate set of circumstances. Where is the evidence the lads behaviour was due to his difficulty as opposed to excitement of being on the stage. Give Ted credit he has not sought to justify his words and has unreservedly apologised. For mum to complain in my opinion is OTT. Again in my opinion I can see the offer of a ticket to next years panto being rejected as derisory. Again just my thoughts.
completely agree. i've never met ted robbins but i doubt very much he'd still be in business if he went out of his way to upset kids.
see it for what it is, a genuine mistake. he's apologised what more can he do?
what next court action for hurt feelings?

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A Darener says...
10:59am Wed 11 Jan 12

Perhaps his mother should leave him at home wrapped in cotton wool. The lad is going to experience far worse things during his life. If a person goes on stage with a comedian he can expect to get ribbed. Ted Robbin's is not an insensitive person and was just unfortunate in this instance.

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Thowd Codger says...
2:00pm Wed 11 Jan 12

Just a very great pity that the British sense if humour has been replaced with a necessity to complain about such trivia. If the child has a "condition", the parents shouldn't allow it to be put in a situation where that condition could result in some form of embarrassment to that child, or it's parents. Most humour is spontaneous and does not allow for vetting, especially if audience participation is involved. There will be no comedians left in England if the PC brigade continue to moan about what most of us DO find amusing. No amount of law passing will stop the normal, well balanced individual with a sense of humour from laughing at what they see as humourous, which is usually at someone elses' expense. People who can't cope with alittle bit of ridicule now and again are - IMHO - very sad people. They have no backbone to enable them to rise above the situation. (My buck teeth, glasses, and now bald head have always attracted a certain amount of ridicule over the years. Ask me if I am bothered. Am I hell). The fact that no-one these days is allowed to pass any form of comment, other than condescending empathy and sympathy, however mis-placed, about people who are "not of the norm" either by virtue of sex, race, religion, sexual orientation, ethnicity, nationality, disability etc. etc. doesn't make the problem go away. It just drives the humour underground. It won't be long before the only really funny jokes you will be able to hear will be in one of the last remaining local pubs, where in my experience the PC brigade have, fortunately, not yet got a foothold. Pubs are now about the only place you can have a meaningful conversation without risk of offending some temperamental individual who seems to have a point to prove. I still think it is amusing if someone slips on a banana skin. I find it a case of duel standards when we can't make fun of people in everyday life, yet we can set them up to appear on a TV Reality Show or so-called Talent Show, where they are allowed to make absolute pratts of themselves, (or should it be, be themselves? From what I have seen most of the "Housemate" are mentally defective), and the audience rock in fits of laughter, but thats OK it seems!!! Erm. Must be time for my cocoa and then bed.

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St.R says...
2:37pm Wed 11 Jan 12

I don't know Ted Robbins, never seen him in anything, but it sounds to me like this has been blown out of all proportion by a mother who is scared her child will be treated just like the other kids and that just won't do, because we have to draw attention to his disability at all times don't we. Poor child! Not because of innocent humour, but because his family treat him as different! I have a child with special needs too, but I don't bleat on about it to get attention.

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Dave Harwood says...
2:40pm Wed 11 Jan 12

The Lancashire public has given its verdict "Not Guilty" m'lord

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Keep Darwen Green says...
8:21pm Wed 11 Jan 12

jonsta wrote:
one hell of a nice guy ted would never be rude let alone be cruel to anyone less fortunate than than the norm. keep going ted your doing a great job
He couldn't possibly take the micky out of anyone, the fat basta@rd wouldn't dare.

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M Foster says...
11:21pm Wed 11 Jan 12

Your ferret stinks says...

"Completely agree!"

Is it that YOU completely agree or that you instruct US to completely agree?

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M Foster says...
11:21pm Wed 11 Jan 12

Your ferret stinks says...

"Completely agree!"

Is it that YOU completely agree or that you instruct US to completely agree?

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

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