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‘Kickstart’ singer appeared to tell fan she ‘looked stupid’ for sitting down during his performance at London’s O2 Arena
Roisin O'ConnorTuesday 02 December 2025 08:16 GMTComments
open image in galleryRapper Example suffered an awkward blunder with a fan during a recent gig (Getty Images for Ascot)
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Singer and rapper Example suffered a blunder during a recent gig after telling a woman to “get up and dance”, apparently not realising she was pregnant and disabled.
Footage of the awkward moment was shared by the fan to TikTok, as she recounted the moment the British musician, real name Elliot John Gleave, seemingly called her out.
Example, 43, was performing at the O2 Arena in London as a special guest to pop band JLS. During a rendition of his hit song “Changed the Way You Kiss Me”, he turned his attention to the audience sitting in front of the stage.
“Get out of your seats!” he demands in the clip, appearing to look directly at the person filming. Moving away, he then calls out: “What are you doing? You look stupid.”
The woman, named Kirsty, wrote in the caption: “Getting called out by Example was not on my 25 bingo card… Sir I am 27 [weeks] preggers and disabled.”
The Independent has contacted Example’s representative for comment.
open image in galleryRapper Example seemingly spots a fan sitting down during his show (TikTok/kxrstyyx)Other fans commenting on the TikTok claimed they had also been at the concert and thought Example was being “rude”.
“I was FUMING about this! He was so rude and wouldn’t let it go,” one wrote.
Another remarked: “I’m so sorry, I heard him say later in the concert, ‘Even this pregnant woman is standing’. I had no idea he peer-pressured you into standing that’s so wrong.”
More viewers said he had behaved in a similar manner at other shows in Nottingham and Cardiff: “He was fuming as everyone [was] sitting down,” one wrote.
TikTok user Kirsty said she had a better time watching JLS, whom she also met before the show.
“JLS themselves were absolutely lovely… mentioned how they loved that I painted my walking aid the colours as well,” she told The Sun.
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The “Kickstarts” singer is far from the only musician to call out fans by accident. Last year, Madonna apologised after inadvertently scolding a wheelchair-user for “sitting down” during her performance.
The pop icon seemed to spot the audience member near the front of the crowd and asked: “What are you doing sitting down over there? What are you doing sitting down?”
Realising her mistake after walking over, she said: “Oh, OK. Politically incorrect, sorry about that. I’m glad you’re here. Oh my god.”
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