Omid Djalili cancels Shropshire show due to ‘security threats’ following comments on Israel-Gaza conflict

British Iranian comedian and actor has been vocal about the atrocities of the Israel-Gaza conflict

Omid Djalili is said to have cancelled a gig last minute due to security threats made against him amid the Israel-Gaza conflict.

The comedian and actor, 58, is currently touring the UK as part of his Good Times tour and has been posting on social media about the war.

On Thursday (19 October), Djalili was scheduled to perform at the Festival Drayton Centre in West Drayton, Shropshire. However, the show was pulled hours before its scheduled opening due to safety concerns for the star.

A post on the venue’s Facebook page informed patrons that the show had been cancelled “due to circumstances beyond our control”.

Jodie Rudd, centre manager at Festival Drayton Centre told the Shropshire Star: “Due to security threats made against Omid Djalili, tonight’s performance at the Festival Drayton Centre has had to be cancelled.

“We are working hard to contact all customers.”

The Independent has contacted a representative of Omid Djalili for comment. West Mercia Police stated that they had received no reports of a threat to the comedian.

Djalili, who is of Iranian descent, has been vocal in his desire for a ceasefire between the regions.

Omid Djalili (Getty Images)

The recent outbreak of violence in the region began on 7 October after the Palestinian militant organisation Hamas launched an attack on Israel, with Israel saying 1,400 of its citizens were killed in the weekend raid. As of Thursday (19 October), at least 3,785 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli strikes since 7 October, according to the health ministry in Gaza.

On Wednesday (18 October), Djalili posted on X, formerly Twitter, that the conflict had gone into “utterly unprecedented territory” and called for an immediate end to the violence.

“The ONLY action we have now – as humanity – is to call for an immediate ceasefire,” he wrote. “There literally is no other thing to do or say at this point. Any speculation on this ‘report’ or that ‘report’ on who is to blame makes no difference other than fuel a fire that is soon going to envelop the whole world.

“This is the assessment of everyone who has been following the #IsraelPalestineConflict as long as we’ve been alive.”

Earlier this week, Jewish actor Tracy-Ann Oberman expressed that additional security measures had been put in place at her touring production of The Merchant of Venice 1936. An adaptation of Shakespeare’s 1598 tragedy, the play tackles antisemitism and features Oberman as a Jewish businesswoman who lends money to a merchant as part of a high-stakes deal.

In the most recent edition of The Spectator, Oberman wrote: “We’re on a 10-week tour and I’ve been moved beyond words at the reactions of audiences and critics. Yet for the last week, the production has had to have security men around keeping an eye on things. It’s like a dystopian nightmare.”