Boris Johnson instructs Vote Leave audience member to interrupt live Channel 4 News broadcast

'Can someone go and interrupt Crick at the back there,' instructs Mr Johnson

An audience member at a Vote Leave rally interrupted a live Channel 4 News broadcaster after being encouraged by Boris Johnson.

The bizarre moment was captured live on Friday evening as presenter Michael Crick reported on the Manchester rally to the news studio.

Mr Johnson was giving a speech when he seemingly grew irate at Crick’s report taking place at the back of the room.

Boris Johnson (Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

“Some chap from the media is trying to do his piece-to-camera. Shut up. Can someone go and interrupt Crick at the back there?" Mr Johnson bellowed to a generous applause. “Tell Crick, you can do your piece-to-camera when I’ve finished.”

A supporter did as he was told and marched up to the journalist, grabbing him by the arm and telling him to “be quiet, the guy’s trying to talk and you’re interrupting”.

“I’m just trying to explain what’s going on here,” Crick tried to explain before the audience member stood in front of the camera half blocking the veteran reporter from viewer’s screens.

After the incident prompted numerous comparisons to behaviour more akin to US Republican frontrunner Donald Trump, Crick told his Twitter followers this was unfair as the Conservative MP is a “very media-friendly politician”.

He also explained it’s sometimes difficult to hear the volume you’re talking at when you have an earpiece in.

The Manchester rally was part of Mr Johnson's 48-hour "Brexit blitz" in which he spearheads a number of speeches across the UK over the weekend. He is expected to continue his call to leave the EU in Leeds and Newcastle on Saturday.