Comedy fans stunned as performer takes to stage – before people realise who he is

An audience member at a comedy club was left stunned when they realised the person who was about to take to the stage was actually a legendary comic who has sold out Wembley Stadium

A surprise appearance at a comedy club left the unsuspecting crowd amazed.

The iconic comedian, known for sell-out shows at Wembley Stadium and his regular television spots, only became recognisable once he started to test new jokes before a live audience.

Fellow comic Vittorio Angelone, from the 'Mike and Vittorio's Guide to Parenting' podcast, couldn't believe his eyes when he had to go on after "this f**king guy". The revelation turned heads online after Vittorio shared an image of the mystery funnyman, who ended up being a familiar face from shows like 'Mock the Week' and 'Big Fat Quiz of the Year'.

The incident unfolded at the Top Secret Comedy Club in London, where Vittorio was lined up to perform. However, before he could dazzle the crowd, none other than Michael McIntyre graced the stage.

Vittorio expressed his situation simply with a photo caption: "Just wanted to try some new material and had to follow this f**kin guy." Vittorio’s followers were quick to bolster his spirits. One quipped: "Easy then. don't think I've ever laughed at him." Another added scathingly: "Can't have been a hard night then." A third supporter chimed in with: "At least you'd be funny."

Despite being teased, support for the esteemed stand-up, recently off his 'Who Do you Think You Are?' tour, poured into the comment section.

Admirers backed Vittorio, asserting: "You are funnier than he is!" Some felt that McIntyre would have yielded the stage if asked, as one suggested: "I'm sure he would have let you go on before him if you'd asked." Another fan confessed: "I hate him on tv but seen him live and he's f**king class."

One baffled user taking to X and saying they were shocked by the trolling directed towards the TV funnyman. They wrote: "Twitter [X] is an interesting place cause you spend your life assuming some people are just generally quite liked or loved. Then you learn that there are people who hate Michael McIntyre."

While some chalked it up as a "stroke of luck" to catch McIntyre live before Vittorio took the stage with fresh jokes, let's not forget that The McIntyre Phenomenon is hardly lacking in accolades. He's currently the star behind ITV hits 'Michael McIntrye's Big Wheel' and 'Michael McIntrye's Big Show'.

The latter scooped up a BAFTA TV award back in 2017 and was in the running twice in 2024, battling for Best Entertainment Programme and The Bruce Forsyth Entertainment Award.

Vittorio, on the other hand, is making waves across the UK and Ireland with his comedy tours. His 2023 stand-up special, 'Translations', garnered rave reviews, found itself up for several awards, and even spawned a live film – with a Liverpool performance available for laughs on his YouTube channel.