COMEDIAN Simon Brodkin has recalled the time he left Roy Hodgson stunned after trying to sneak onto the England squad’s plane heading out to the World Cup.
Playing his TV character Jason Bent, he managed to blend in with the 2014 Three Lions at Luton Airport.
And after going undiscovered for several minutes in the security area while mingling with the likes of Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney, the 45-year-old then approached the then England boss.
However, that was when his attempt to get on the plane heading to Brazil, where England would go on to be dumped out of the World Cup in the group stage, was stopped as security swooped in to remove him.
During an appearance on Talk TV with Andy Goldstein, Brodkin opened up about the amusing incident.
He said: “I was with all of the players, they were about to get on the plane and I joined them.
“I had the suit on. They were all getting on at the private area in Luton Airport and I got in amongst them.
“There was a lot of players, a lot of backroom staff, and they are all wearing the same thing.
“I’m there in the middle of them all, as Jason, fitting in too well as no-one noticed that I wasn’t meant to be there.
“I’m mingling with the players, I’m not talking to any of them, but they’re all coming off the coach and about to board the plane. There’s a lot of staff, we now know that they were not necessary, but it was Roy Hodgson’s unit.
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“So I thought ‘this is ridiculous – I’m going to get on the plane’ and then go ‘I’m only joking!’”
Brodkin continued: “I had my passport with me and I waved it at Roy.
“I shouted: ‘Roy, my phone’s been switched off for the last few weeks. Did I make the squad or what?”
“That’s when the security – I actually did a cameo message for the security guy who is retiring the other day, which is amazing – how he kept his job that long!”
The English prankster and stand-up comedian who is known for his public stunts, some of which have resulted in prosecution.
He is best known for his character Lee Nelson, who is described as a “cheerful chav”, but he also performs in a number of other roles.
He was arrested after attempting to warm up with the Manchester City team ahead of their Premier League match against Everton in March 2013.
Some of Brodkin’s most famous pranks include renaming Sir Philip Green’s £100million super yacht the ‘BHS Destroyer’ and showering Fifa president Sepp Blatter in fake US dollars at a press conference in Zurich in 2015.
