Comedian Josh Widdicombe ends stage routine with Rutland and Stamford Mercury story

Comedian Josh Widdicombe rounded off his Stamford Corn Exchange Theatre routine by reading out a Mercury article that amused him, posted online earlier that evening.

The sell-out crowd who gathered to watch his show on Tuesday (May 21) learned that Josh had been eating pizza in Ask restaurant - while oblivious to three firefighter crews sealing off St John's Street and next door businesses because of a suspected gas leak.

Reading the online article to the audience from his phone, Josh said he 'particularly liked the headline' (Firefighters close Stamford town centre for gas leak as comedian Josh Widdicombe eats pizza next door), and 'appreciated the honesty' of the manager of Ask, who had admitted to the Mercury reporter that he hadn't realised he was serving anyone famous.

Josh spoke to Mercury reporter Suzanne Moon after staff from Oliver Lee hair salon - which had been closed due to the gas leak - spotted him walking past as they were being interviewed for the paper.

While strolling up to the Corn Exchange in Broad Street, the radio and TV presenter, known for appearances on The Last Leg and Have I Got News For You, was happy to chat about returning to Stamford (once he'd remembered that he had been there once before), his disappointment over finding Pizza Express 'shut on a Tuesday evening', and about his very good choice from the Ask pizza menu.

After a quick pose for a picture, he went inside the Corn Exchange to get ready for his show.

And, as one Twitter follower of Josh pointed out after the show - the funny thing was... Pizza Express is open on a Tuesday.

Read the article that Josh Widdicombe read out on stage.