Vegas: Crawled along ladder

The Shooting Stars and Happiness funnyman used the ladder to climb from the stage over an orchestra pit during a recent performance at the King's Theatre in Glasgow.

The theatre's owner, the Ambassador Theatre Group, has taken disciplinary action against the stage manager and said he could be sacked if he is found to have breached health and safety rules.

But the stage manager, who has not been named, says the ladder had been used in this way in the past, and that it met health and safety requirements.

Vegas' stunt was unplanned but the stage manager could have refused to let him have the ladder if it was unsafe, according to Paul McManus of union Bectu.

He's a grown man - responsible for his own actions Vegas spokeswoman

"This ladder had been used before in this way," Mr McManus told BBC News Online.

"There was a stage-hand on stage holding one end of the ladder and two more in the orchestra pit, hidden from view, holding it up.

"As far as we understand it, Johnny Vegas crawled half-way along the ladder, lit up a cigarette, and then continued and went into the audience."

The disciplinary hearing would take place early next week, Mr McManus added.

The operations director for the Ambassador Theatre Group, David Blyth, said the matter was "private and strictly confidential".

"It would be inappropriate to comment on what is an internal personnel matter," he said.

A spokeswoman for Vegas told industry paper The Stage the comedian found the disciplinary move "outrageous".

"Why didn't they talk to him about it on the night?" she said. "He's a grown man. He is responsible for his own actions."

The show, on 22 March, was part of the Glasgow International Comedy Festival.