Chris Brown jokes about jail stay during Manchester gig: ‘It was really nice’

US singer Chris Brown launched the UK leg of his Breezy Bowl XX tour in Manchester on Sunday, just days before he is due in court over a grievous bodily harm (GBH) charge. The 36-year-old artist performed at the Co-op Live arena, marking his 20th year in the music industry.

Brown was arrested in Greater Manchester last month in connection with an alleged assault during a previous visit to the UK in 2023. He is accused of attacking a music producer with a tequila bottle at a nightclub in London. The incident is said to have taken place during his last UK tour. Brown has been charged with GBH and is currently on bail.

‘Thank you to the jail’, singer jokes on stage

Addressing fans during Sunday’s performance, Brown joked about his recent time in custody. “Thank you for coming and supporting me,” he said, before adding, “And thank you to the jail. It was really nice.” The comment was met with cheers from the audience, who had earlier watched a montage of Brown’s career highlights — including footage from outside Manchester Crown Court during his arrest.

The video package, which showed both his achievements and controversies, appeared to be a deliberate acknowledgement of his legal troubles. The singer has previously faced legal issues in the United States, but continues to maintain a large fan base internationally.

Bail set at £5 million

Brown was released after agreeing to a £5 million security fee. He had been held in custody for nearly a week before the court granted bail. A security fee serves as a financial guarantee to ensure a defendant returns to court, and can be forfeited if bail conditions are breached.

As part of his bail terms, the judge permitted Brown to continue with his scheduled performances. He resumed his tour with a show in Amsterdam before heading to the UK.

Upcoming court appearance in London

Brown is due to appear at Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court in London on Friday, 21 June, alongside co-defendant Omololu Akinlolu, a 38-year-old US artist known as HoodyBaby. Both are facing charges in connection with the alleged nightclub assault.

So far, no plea has been entered by Brown or Akinlolu.

Tour continues across UK stadiums

Following his Manchester shows, Brown will perform in Cardiff at the Principality Stadium on Thursday. After his court hearing on Friday, he is scheduled to appear at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday and Sunday.

The tour will continue with stadium shows in Birmingham and Glasgow, followed by two additional arena dates in Manchester. The Breezy Bowl XX tour celebrates two decades of Brown’s career, which began with his debut single Run It! at age 16. On Sunday, he opened the Manchester show with the hit and went on to perform several of his UK top 10 singles, including Turn Up The Music, With You, and Don’t Wake Me Up.

Brown recently won Best Male R&B/Pop Artist at the 2025 BET Awards, held in Los Angeles.