Adam Hills was held at gunpoint by Adelaide police after a radio stunt went ‘horribly wrong’.

On Wednesday, the 48-year-old comedian shared an excerpt from his newly released memoir, ‘Best Foot Forward,’ in which the story appears.

It took place during Adam’s SAFM breakfast radio days in the ’90s, and to the benefit of his ensuing career, wasn’t widely circulated outside of South Australia at the time.

'There's someone in the boot about to be killed': Adam Hills (pictured) was held at gunpoint by Adelaide police after a radio stunt went 'horribly wrong'

‘There’s someone in the boot about to be killed’: Adam Hills (pictured) was held at gunpoint by Adelaide police after a radio stunt went ‘horribly wrong’

Adam, an up-and-coming breakfast radio talent was in the boot of an SAFM-owned car, when it rolled up to BP Petrol in Hindmarsh Square, with radio co-star Steve Bedwell behind the wheel.

The pair were both holding mobile phones that linked back to SAFM’s on-air feed, where they were broadcasting the elaborate prank.

This was back before self-serve gas pumps, so Steve stayed at the wheel while a BP employee approached the vehicle and starting unscrewing the petrol cap.

At which point, Adam began screaming from the locked boot and banging on it with his fist.

On Wednesday, the 48-year-old comedian shared an excerpt from his newly released memoir, ' Best Foot Forward, ' in which he tells the story, that began with him in the boot of a car that rolled into BP Petrol in Hindmarsh Square, Adelaide

On Wednesday, the 48-year-old comedian shared an excerpt from his newly released memoir, ' Best Foot Forward, ' in which he tells the story, that began with him in the boot of a car that rolled into BP Petrol in Hindmarsh Square, Adelaide

On Wednesday, the 48-year-old comedian shared an excerpt from his newly released memoir, ‘ Best Foot Forward, ‘ in which he tells the story, that began with him in the boot of a car that rolled into BP Petrol in Hindmarsh Square, Adelaide

‘Help. Help. I’ve been kidnapped. This guy’s locked me in the boot. Let me out,’ he yelled.

The BP attendant asked Steve what was going on. At this point, both Steve and Adam realised the attendant was genuinely concerned.

So, every time the petrified staffer would ask Steve ‘mate, what’s going on?’ the SAFM star would try not to smile while insisting everything was fine and it was ‘just a joke.’

Bravely, Steve said the same thing to the petrol station manager, who approached the vehicle after the employee alerted him to a potential kidnapping.

The plan: While Adelaide SAFM co-host Steve Bedwell stayed at the wheel, Adam yelled and screamed from the boot for help. Both men had mobile phones with a direct line to the SAFM studio

The plan: While Adelaide SAFM co-host Steve Bedwell stayed at the wheel, Adam yelled and screamed from the boot for help. Both men had mobile phones with a direct line to the SAFM studio

The plan: While Adelaide SAFM co-host Steve Bedwell stayed at the wheel, Adam yelled and screamed from the boot for help. Both men had mobile phones with a direct line to the SAFM studio

Next, Adam recalled: ‘the manager then informed him [Steve] that the police would be called as soon as the car left the service station. Steve said he understood, paid his money, and drove off.’

The future Spick and Specks host wrote that in the moment, he was too obsessed with the quest for radio ratings dominance to pull the plug on the prank.

So Steve drove around the corner to let Adam – who suffers from carsickness – out of the boot.

Alert! The petrol station manager was alerted, and told them police would be called as soon as they drove off, but both men kept up with the stunt, in the pursuit of radio ratings dominance

Alert! The petrol station manager was alerted, and told them police would be called as soon as they drove off, but both men kept up with the stunt, in the pursuit of radio ratings dominance

Alert! The petrol station manager was alerted, and told them police would be called as soon as they drove off, but both men kept up with the stunt, in the pursuit of radio ratings dominance

They decided to drive slowly back towards the station, at which point a police car with sirens blazing approached from up the street and swerved to block the road ahead.

‘Both officers ran from their car, doors open, unclipping holsters, and yelling at us to exit our vehicle,’ Adam wrote. 

The officer screamed at the pair to raise their hands, palms out, and stand up against the wall, before demanding Steve hand over the keys.

‘I turned and offered the only explanation I could, “It’s a radio stunt that’s gone horribly wrong!” the comedian remembered saying.

Confrontation: They drove around the corner, let Adam out of the boot, and then drove back toward the station, where they were intercepted by '10 of Adelaide’s finest, and at this moment in time grumpiest, police officers'

Confrontation: They drove around the corner, let Adam out of the boot, and then drove back toward the station, where they were intercepted by '10 of Adelaide’s finest, and at this moment in time grumpiest, police officers'

Confrontation: They drove around the corner, let Adam out of the boot, and then drove back toward the station, where they were intercepted by ’10 of Adelaide’s finest, and at this moment in time grumpiest, police officers’

In hindsight, Adam confessed the truthful answer was that the stunt had gone horribly right, but wisely chose not to say that while under arrest. 

‘In total we were surrounded by three squad cars and two paddy wagons — 10 of Adelaide’s finest, and at this moment in time grumpiest, police officers — and all because we wanted some extra ratings,’ he said.

Adam also learned the employee had feared ‘there’s someone in the boot about to be killed’

‘Did it affect ratings? Who knows? Could we have found a way to create publicity without causing anyone distress? Probably. Could we have been charged with some sort of offence? Definitely. Did I learn anything from it? I’m not sure.’

Adam’s memoir, Best Foot Forward, is available now, through Hachette Publishing 

 



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