Promoter denies non-payment claims by Karen Dunbar after tour scrapped

A tour promoter has denied Karen Dunbar’s claims that they failed to pay her for her 40-date tour, which she was forced to cancel midway through.

The Scottish comedian took to social media on Tuesday to announce she had been forced to cancel her Aw Roon the Hooses tour with 20 shows left.

She said she was “gutted” but explained that, despite having already performed 19 shows over the past two months, she had been paid for just five by the promoter.

Entertainment

Karen Dunbar forced to cancel tour following pay dispute with promoter

The comedian and actress said she had only been paid for five out of 19 shows, halfway through the tour’s 40-date run

Dunbar went on to say that the matter would likely end up in court and thanked fans for their continued support.

‘These claims are inaccurate’, says Breakneck Comedy

Despite not naming the promoter in the video, Breakneck Comedy, based in Aberdeen, issued a statement a few hours later addressing speculation that they were the promoter mentioned.

The statement read: “We are disappointed to have learned through social media one of our main comedians has announced the cancellation of the remainder of their Scottish tour. We were not contacted directly about this decision before the video was published.

“We strongly dispute the claims made about non-payment, including the statement that the comedian has only been paid for five shows. Our position is that these claims are inaccurate, and we are seeking legal advice on this matter.”

According to the Breakneck Comedy, due to low ticket sales, rising costs and venue changes, they had to renegotiate with Dunbar about the tour agreement fee and terms.

They asked for a “workable agreement” to allow the rest of the tour to proceed and minimise losses, with payment aligned with actual ticket sales, which they claim Dunbar declined.

They added: “As a small business, we simply cannot afford to take on all the work and costs of organising a 60-show tour only to sustain a significant loss overall.

“We remain committed to resolving this matter professionally and respectfully and apologise to customers affected by the cancellation.”

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