Sacha Baron Cohen introduced his football hooligan alter ego, Norman ‘Nobby’ Grimsby to the world wearing pants and arriving in a Volkswagen van.
In a turtle neck, socks and hotel slippers and clasping at a beer at the global premiere for his new film ‘Grimsby’ on Monday, he got up on the podium and paid, ermmm tribute to the northern town…
"People were literally knee-deep in 💩" Sacha Baron Cohen chats Grimsby! #GrimsbyWorldPremiere https://t.co/iu9FCr9XnT
— Sony Pictures UK 🎬 (@SonyPicturesUK) February 22, 2016
Supported by his wife Isla Fisher, who laughed as he joked about the teenage pregnancy rates in the town, told reporters: “Grimsby is the greatest place on Earth.
“If the film goes well I’m going to build a cinema in Grimsby. I’m not saying how big it will be – it’ll be a large screen in a pub.
“The sad thing is we’ve got a 15 rating so 80% of the mothers won’t be able to watch it.”
His on-screen girlfriend Dawn – played by Australian actress Rebel Wilson – was unable to attend.
Speaking in character as the sports fan-turned-super spy – who has nine children with Dawn – Sacha joked: “Dawny actually fell out of a window last night. She got very drunk.”
To research the film, Sacha visited various pubs in Grimsby and filmed scenes there, but has offended locals with his depiction.
Grimsby is out February, 24.