Comedian Daniel O’Reilly says the storm surrounding his controversial character Dapper Laughs has 'wrecked his life'.
The internet comic’s ITV2 show was axed and his UK tour was cancelled after he told a female audience member she was 'gagging for a rape' during a live show.
He said: “It’s completely ruined everything that’s going on with me as a comedian. The bad press and everything that’s happened – it’s wrecked my life to a certain extent.”
Dapper Laughs (ITV)
His comedy show, in which he shouted catchphrases 'she knows' and 'proper moist' at women in the street, was widely criticised.
In an interview he told Newsnight’s Emily Maitlis he had decided to stop performing as the character.
His ITV2 show Dapper Laughs: On The Pull finished its first series on November 3.
Daniel O’Reilly on Newsnight (BBC Newsnight)
He produced a charity Christmas album to raise money for Shelter, but the homelessness charity rejected the money because of offensive comments he has made about homeless people.
Forty-four comedians signed an open letter condemning him for his 'sexist and degrading' comedy.
He said: “At the time I didn’t think that so many people would end up seeing it. In the end it became very popular and I kind of got a bit carried away with it, to be honest with you.
Dapper Laughs (ITV)
“It’s wrong but, to me, I didn’t see it as me who was saying it, I was creating this character and I was really pushing the boundaries with this character because it was popular.
“I thought that the people that were viewing it were saying this is ridiculous and laughing at it.”
He said he took the decision to cancel the tour after deciding he did not want to perform as the character any more.
“I am not going to allow Dapper Laughs to represent me. I want the people out there to know that not only am I going to stop it, I am going to help it not being promoted.”
