Frank Skinner reveals he had a run-in with ex-Labour MP Harriet Harman

‘People think they’re entitled to have a pop at me’: Frank Skinner reveals he had a run-in with ex-Labour MP Harriet Harman at the opera after his Royal variety exchange with Sophie Wessex

• The comedian, 66, said he often finds himself the receiver of people’s criticism
• Last year the Countess left Frank shocked after she commented on performance
• Read more: Skinner received an apology letter from the ‘classy’ Sophie Wessex

Frank Skinner has said people often ‘take a pop’ at him as he revealed he bumped into ex-Labour MP Harriet Harman at the opera just months after his awkward Royal variety exchange with Sophie Wessex.

At a recent performance of The Story of the Handmaid’s Tale – a show based on Margaret Atwood’s famous novel – Ms Harman said to the comedian: ‘Oh, don’t tell me you like opera.’

Standing in the aisle of English National Opera in London, Skinner said he responded with: ‘I thought you lot were supposed to be fighting stereotypes.’

The 66-year-old, who is well-known for hosting Fantasy Football League and being the lyricist of the infamous Three Lions chant, said in an interview with The Times that he often finds himself the receiver of criticism.

Frank Skinner (pictured) has said people do not always take him or his work seriously and often ‘take a pop’ at him

It comes as in December last year, it was reported that Sophie left Frank shocked after she apparently criticised his performance at the Royal Variety event.

Frank claimed the Countess, 58, made critical comments about his performance of Three Lions with David Baddiel and The Lightning Seeds and told him not to give up his day job.

The comedian explained he had been feeling unwell all day and battled his way through the performance, so was stunned when the Earl and Countess criticised him as ‘that’s not how the royal thing works’. 

Speaking on his radio show last month, the 66-year-old, said he received a ‘lovely’ gesture from the royal.

He said: ‘I got a very lovely note this week – unexpected – from someone I’ve talked about on the radio show. And you know when the word classy springs to mind… I was quite moved by it.

‘It was the most beautiful thing – handwritten and lovely. I was very pleased.’

He added: ‘It was a lovely thing, I love her now.’

The Earl and Countess of Wessex represented the Royal Family for the first time at the Royal Variety Performance at the Royal Albert Hall. 

Skinner added he explained to the Countess that he and Baddiel were comics, to which she remarked the pair were ‘not used to live audiences’ and were more perhaps more comfortable on screen.

After Frank retorted he had played at the London Palladium just days earlier, he claimed mother-of-two Sophie shot him an ‘awkward’ look.  

In December last year, it was reported that Sophie (right) left Frank shocked after she apparently criticised his performance at the Royal Variety event. Pictured: L-R Ian Broudie, David Baddiel and Frank Skinner, at the Royal Variety Performance at the Royal Albert Hall

Skinner said he so was stunned when the Earl and Countess (pictured) criticised him as ‘that’s not how the royal thing works’

He described it as if the Countess was thinking: ‘You’re not supposed to be arguing, I don’t think you’re supposed to be arguing with me, you’re supposed to just nod.’

Skinner was made an MBE on the latest New Years honours list for services to entertainment after a 35-year career.

He said he still has not received the accolade and at the time of being awarded he wanted to make sure it was not an ‘administrative error’. 

He said: ‘I was properly, uncynically pleased. I love the idea of a medal for comedy.’ 

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