Harry Potter star 'jumped off West End stage to hit theatregoer'

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12 April 2012

Harry Potter actor Ian Hart attacked an audience member at the end of a West End play in which he is appearing, it was claimed today.

A witness said Hart, 45, left the stage after the play last night and hit the man on the head or shoulder.

Fellow cast member, Life On Mars star John Simm, tried to restrain Hart, while security staff were able to pull him away from the man.

Earlier, Hart had shouted at the man to "shut up" - even though he was not believed to have been talking during Speaking In Tongues at the Duke of York's theatre.

One audience member told the Standard today that he had been sitting two rows behind the man when Hart walked off stage.

The source, a lawyer who asked not to be named, said: "I was a couple of seats back. About halfway through the show, just after the break, as Ian Hart left the stage he shouted 'shut up' at this guy.

"Then, for at least 10 minutes before the end of the show, he was really staring this guy out. It was really freaky.

"He took his applause for five or six seconds and ran off the stage. John Simm tried to hold him back."

The source added: "Ian Hart ran off the stage down into the audience, went up to this guy and just whacked him. I think he hit him on the shoulder or head.

"He [Hart] was shouting at this point that he wasn't giving him the proper respect as an actor. After Hart was manhandled away, this guy stood his ground.

"The management wanted to speak to him privately but he said, 'This happened in front of everyone. I'm going to speak to you in front of everyone'."

He said Hart appeared to be distressed. "His eyes were quite freaky. He didn't look as if he was holding it together."

The source said he saw the attacked man, who said his name was Gerard Earley, outside the theatre in St Martin's Lane: "His hands were shaking. He was definitely in shock."

The manager of Liverpool-born Hart, who lives in Crouch End, refused to comment.

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