Comedian Mo Gilligan has revealed that police once followed him with six cars and a helicopter "for ages" before recognising him, likening the experience to something from a Grand Theft Auto game.
Mistaken identity
The 38-year-old London-born star recalled the incident during a candid conversation on the latest episode of the Louis Theroux podcast, where he discussed topics ranging from racism to football.
"One time I got pulled over by the police and there were six cars, and this was when I was doing TV and stuff. I'll never forget that one," he told the host. "At that point you have to make a joke out of it."
He explained that he was with his stylist when they were followed for ages before being pulled over by an unmarked car, with around six cars and a helicopter involved.
"When the helicopter came, it was weird because obviously I hadn't done anything, but I was like, 'Ooh, wow, this is a little bit exciting.' But also knowing, I'm like, 'You're really wasting your time.' Then some of the officers, I could tell they were a bit like, 'Oh, I think I recognise that guy,'" he said.
Why so many cars?
When asked why such extreme measures were taken, Mo explained that the police claimed his car had previously been stolen.
"They said that the car that I had was previously stolen. And I was like, 'Is it the same car, colour, or is it the same number plate?' I said, 'They're two different things.' But they never really gave me an answer," he recalled.
"In the end, it was like, 'Oh, it's just not the same car.' And once they knew, everyone just scattered. Every, every car was just like, 'Oh, well, it's not him then.' Helicopter gone."
He questioned why such a big response was needed, adding: "Part of me was thinking, 'This is a lot. I don't need six cars and a helicopter.' At the same time, it did feel a bit like GTA when you get five or six stars."
Career highs
Mo has become a staple of the comedy industry, gaining a following in 2017 after posting videos on YouTube while working at Levi's. His videos went viral, catching the attention of rapper Drake.
He later co-hosted the award-winning Big Narstie Show on Channel 4 and landed a BAFTA TV Award for his own series, The Lateish Show with Mo Gilligan. He currently serves as a judge on The Masked Singer on ITV.
Standing up for his morals
During the podcast, Louis questioned Mo about a part of his stand-up routine where he recounted a TV producer asking him to wear a chicken suit, which he denied as he felt it was demeaning.
Standing by his sentiment, Mo explained: "I can't say which show it was but I was like, 'I'm just not feeling this. I'm just not feeling this at all.'
"It wasn't malice, but I guess as a young black man in this space you feel like if you say no, you then might get the card of 'oh, he's very difficult, very hard to work with'. Now I only know that because it's stuff that I've heard before from other people that have been in this space.
"If I say no, I might be difficult. They might not even invite me back again. I'm not trying to be a diva, but I do want to have ownership of what I do and how I do it."
He added: "You have to stand up for what you believe in, and you're like, 'my morals just tell me I don't want to do that because I'm going to be laughed at, and I don't want to be laughed at.'
"I'm representing almost the whole community. They're going to be the ones who sit there and be like, 'oh bro, what are you doing? That's just not it. Why are you wearing a chicken suit?'"
