COMIC'S PAIN

Dom Joly recalls moment a classmate brought a severed head into his school aged seven as he relives horror of growing up in war torn Lebanon

The comedian said he was traumatised by his childhood in the country's capital Beirut and said the sound doors of slamming doors used to put him on edge after he moved to the UK

Ellie Henman

Published: 0:21, 28 Oct 2018
Updated: 12:08, 28 Oct 2018

DOM Joly has opened up about his “terrifying” childhood in war torn Lebanon and recalled the moment a classmate brought a severed head into his school.

The comedian was just seven-years-old when a friend carried the head into the room in a bag.

: “There had been an execution and six people had been beheaded.

“This kid turned up with a head in a bag and just produced it to the class.

Dom, 50, visited the country with Save The Children

The comedian went into schools as well as people's homes to hear their storiesCredit: Save the Children/Jordi Matas

“That was quite traumatic, probably the worst thing I’ve ever seen.”

Dom also revealed how his family lived in fear of his father being kidnapped and said when he moved to the UK, he still suffered with the trauma of what he had seen.

He added: “Doors slamming would make me jump, also people whistling.

“There is nothing more vicious than a civil war.”

He said it was shocking to hear about such horrific acts of violenceCredit: Save the Children/Jordi Matas

Dom, here as a teenager, moved to the UK with his family but said he struggle to cope with the trauma he had experiencedCredit: Instagram

Dom spent time in the UK with the charity and met children affected by the civil war, which has been going on since 2014.

After meeting a young boy called Roman, who had been injured by a land mine, Dom said he was astounded that such heinous violence was still happening.

He explained: “It’s trench warfare.

“It’s like the First World War, three hours from Heathrow. It’s a powerful thing, to think kids of 15 are being blown up.”

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