Life can throw unexpected drama even during a quick trip to the corner shop — and that’s exactly what happened to Michael Barrymore, the once-famous British TV entertainer, when a routine errand turned into a viral moment.
The 73-year-old, known for hosting classics like Strike It Lucky, found himself in a heated argument with a shopkeeper in west London after being told he couldn’t buy more than two packs of cigarettes.
A Quick Stop Turns Into a Confrontation
Barrymore had popped into a local off-licence in Shepherd’s Bush on Tuesday to grab a few packs of his usual Silk Cut Purple cigarettes.
But when he asked for four, the shopkeeper refused, insisting there was a rule against selling more than two at a time.
The TV veteran wasn’t having it. “I was in Tesco the other day and I bought five in one go!” he protested, filming the exchange as confusion turned into confrontation.
His disbelief grew as he challenged the store’s policy, demanding to know who made such a rule.
Currently, no UK law limits the number of cigarette packets an adult can buy as long as they are legally of age and the products are sealed.
But that didn’t stop the disagreement from escalating.
Barrymore Returns for Round Two
Clearly stewing over the refusal, Barrymore returned to the shop later for a second showdown — this time attracting a small crowd who recognised him from his television heyday.
Frustrated, he asked, “Who doesn’t allow it? Who made the rule? There is no rule that I can’t buy ten packets of cigarettes, so why won’t you sell me four?”
Turning to bystanders for support, Barrymore vented, “Can you believe it? I’m a little bit excited at the moment.
What the f*ing hell’s this all about? Absolute bullst. Can you believe it?”
TikTok Fans Rally Behind the TV Star
Barrymore later uploaded the video to TikTok, where it quickly drew more than 8,100 views. Fans rushed to the comments section to back him up.
One joked, “Beef with the boss man,” while another quipped, “Think they mistaken cigs for paracetamol.”
A third encouraged him to “stand your ground, Michael!” and another clarified the facts, writing, “There is no such law about buying in bulk.”
The short clip reignited public fascination with Barrymore — a man whose name was once synonymous with Saturday-night TV before scandal derailed his career.
From Fame to Fallout: A Look Back at Barrymore’s Career
Once one of Britain’s highest-paid television personalities, Barrymore’s career collapsed after the 2001 death of Stuart Lubbock, who was found in the swimming pool of the entertainer’s Essex home after a late-night party.
Barrymore has always denied any involvement or knowledge of what happened, but the incident marked a dramatic turning point.
Despite his attempts to rebuild his career, the shadow of that tragedy lingered for years.
He briefly re-emerged in 2006 on Celebrity Big Brother, finishing in second place, but subsequent comeback efforts were overshadowed by renewed investigations into Lubbock’s death.
Between 2001 and 2019, Barrymore was arrested and questioned several times along with others, though no charges were ever filed.
He later sued Essex Police for wrongful arrest, but the court awarded only “nominal” damages — prompting Barrymore to drop his £2.4 million compensation claim.
Reclaiming the Spotlight Through Social Media
In recent years, Barrymore has found a different kind of audience — one that lives online.
The entertainer has reinvented himself as a TikTok creator, drawing in millions of viewers with his quirky humor and nostalgic energy.
His account now boasts 3.1 million followers, and his bio cheerfully declares, “This is a very happy place to be…”
Despite the controversies of the past, Barrymore’s new digital persona suggests he’s determined to stay in the public eye — on his own terms, and sometimes, as this cigarette shop showdown proved, not without a little chaos.