THE MAN BEHIND controversial comedy character Dapper Laughs has said he will no longer be performing under the persona, after a massive internet backlash against his ‘misogynistic’ material.

Doug Peters Doug Peters

Dapper Laughs is the creation of Daniel O’Reilly – his ITV2 show On The Pull was cancelled on Monday after a video emerged of O’Reilly telling an audience member at a stand-up show that she was “gagging for a rape”.

O’Reilly also cancelled every date on a planned Dapper Laughs UK tour.

Looking almost unrecognisable on BBC’s Newsnight last night, O’Reilly apologised for the offence he had caused, saying he got “carried away” by the popularity of his early work.

“Obviously I don’t think that, I’m taking the mick out of what I think men think,” he said.

But he said he understood that some viewers may have taken his jokes and ‘advice’ at face value:

Potentially, of course. But to me, I was creating this character, and I was really pushing the boundaries because it was popular. I thought people were thinking it was ridiculous.

He told Newsnight presenter Emily Maitlis that the character has ‘ruined everything’ for his comedy career, and he will no longer be performing as Dapper Laughs:

Dapper Laughs is gone. My family have spoken to me about it. I’m not going to allow Dapper Laughs to represent me. I am going to stop it and stop it being promoted.

Previously: Dapper Laughs dating show cancelled by ITV after outcry over rape jokes>