Slowthai harasses host Katherine Ryan after winning Hero of the Year at the NME Awards

Slowthai confronted a member of the crowd at the NME Awards last night, after being heckled for sexually harassing the show’s co-host Katherine Ryan.

Shortly after winning Hero of the Year award, which was voted for by the public, the 25-year-old Northampton rapper made a string of uncomfortable comments toward comedian Katherine Ryan, drawing angry shouts from the crowd, including being called a “misogynist”.

Footage of the incident has been posted on Twitter, in which slowthai puts his arm around Katherine Ryan and says to her: “You ain’t never had anyone play with you like I’ll play with you” and “She wants me to tend to her flowers”.

After drawing criticism, slowthai accused the audience of “ruining” his speech and dropped his microphone into the crowd. A crowd member then used the mic to shout “Wasteman!” at the rapper before he had both the mic and a wine glass chucked at him on stage. Security had to hold Slowthai back as he hurled his own glass at the offending spectator, jumped off the stage and then attempted to fight the heckler.

According to NME, slowthai subsequently left the event. The Met police later confirmed that no complaints were filed after the event, and there won’t be an investigation made to the altercation.

Katherine Ryan posted about the incident on Twitter, saying: “He didn’t make me feel uncomfortable”.

Slowthai has made an apology on Twitter, asking NME to give his award to Katherine Ryan and stating “I am not a hero”.

His full staement reads: “.@nme please forward my award to @kathbum for she is the hero of the year. what started as a joke between us escalated to a point of shameful actions on my part. i want to unreservedly apologise, there is no excuse and I am sorry. i am not a hero.

“katherine, you are a master at your craft and next time i’ll take my seat and leave the comedy to you. to any woman or man who saw a reflection of situations they’ve been in in those videos, i am sorry. i promise to do better. let’s talk here.”

Slowthai has made an apology on Twitter, asking NME to give his award to Katherine Ryan and stating “I am not a hero”.

His full staement reads: “.@nme please forward my award to @kathbum for she is the hero of the year. what started as a joke between us escalated to a point of shameful actions on my part. i want to unreservedly apologise, there is no excuse and I am sorry. i am not a hero.

“katherine, you are a master at your craft and next time i’ll take my seat and leave the comedy to you. to any woman or man who saw a reflection of situations they’ve been in in those videos, i am sorry. i promise to do better. let’s talk here.”

Melissa Gardner is a freelance writer and photographer, check her website and follow her on Instagram