Laura Harman
Published December 1, 2025 11:40pm
Updated December 1, 2025 11:40pm
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Example has been criticised by fans after a recent performance (Picture: Luke Brennan/Getty Images)
Noughties popstar Example has been criticised after telling fans, including those with disabilities, to stand up and dance while he performs.
Elliot John Gleave, 43, who is better known by the stage name Example, has been performing with boyband JLS as a warm-up act for their The Club Is Alive: 2025 Hits Tour.
The singer and DJ had big hits between 2010 and 2013, including Won’t Go Quietly, Kickstarts, and Changed the Way You Kiss Me, and has delighted fans with his nostalgic hits on their recent tour.
However, he has been called out by one fan after a recent performance at the O2 Arena in London, which saw him complain that the audience wasn’t standing to watch him.
‘What are you doing? You look stupid,’ the singer could be heard saying in a video viewed 45,000 times on TikTok and posted by a concertgoer who revealed she was pregnant and disabled, meaning she needed to stay seated.
‘Getting called out by @Example was not on my 25 bingo card… “get out your seat” “what you doing” “you look stupid” sir am 27wks preggers and disabled 😭 #jls #example #theo2,’ said kxrstyyx on TikTok.
Fans weren’t best impressed (Picture: TIKTOK/kxrstyyx)
The singer has been performing across the UK (Picture: Maxine Howells/Getty Images)
Other commenters added that the singer had made similar requests from his audience to stand at different venues on the tour.
‘In notts the whole time he was complaining about people being sat down 😭😭,’ said emilyyycox.
‘He was like this in Cardiff 😂 he was fuming as everyone sitting down 😂😂,’ said stephanie2509.
Followers also rushed to support the concertgoer, saying that they felt sorry for her.
‘No because as someone who has chronic pain i was crying for you when this happened in felt so bad and lowkey glad I didnt get front row seats 😭,’ said xabsolutemuffinx.
‘me and my bf were laughing because I’m a wheelchair user and he was like ‘yeah get up and dance babe’😭😂,’ said snorlaxowo
‘I was there! I kept saying to the group I was with that I didn’t like him because he was being really rude!,’ commented chana.18x.
The artist had several hits in the 2010s (Picture: Maxine Howells/Getty Images)
The concertgoer even revealed that at one point she showed her walking aid to Example while on stage, but he proceeded to call her stupid.
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One follower commented: ‘Think at one point the camera went on you, and I think I remember holding up the walking aid? 😭’
The disabled concert-goer then replied: ‘I diddd he then proceeded to say I looked stupid 🤣🤣🤣.’
She later revealed to The Sun that after the concert, she fortunately did get to meet JLS after the gig who were very kind to her: ‘JLS themselves were absolutely lovely to myself, mentioned how they loved that I painted my walking aid the colours as well.’
Metro has reached out to Example’s representatives for comment.
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