Comedy policeman surprises Norton

Comedian Graham Norton’s performance at a charity comedy show was hijacked by a hook-handed interloper tonight.

The TV star was compering in front of 1,700 people at the star-studded closing gala of the London Comedy Festival when the man dressed in ballgown burst on stage claiming to be from the “comedy police”.

It took security guards over a minute to realise that the desperate looks of the camp comic were real and that the intruder was not part of the act.

A festival spokesman said: “I don’t know whether he was some sort of madman.

“He said he was from the comedy police, started singing and dancing around before running out the back.”

“Graham was a bit flustered but he handled it quite well really.”

Later Norton said: “As soon as I knew the guy’s hook was plastic I knew I was all right.”