Nicole Kidman was ‘whacked’ by audience member in opera scuffle, claims husband Keith Urban

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Nicole Kidman was “whacked” with an opera program by an aggrieved audience member, her husband Keith Urban has claimed.

In January, police were reportedly called to the Sydney Opera House over the incident, in which a man was said to have “swatted” Kidman with the program during a standing ovation at the end of the performance.

While appearing on The Kyle and Jackie O Show on KIIS FM radio, Urban alleged what happened between Kidman and the man.

“We were sitting down with Nic’s mum and we were clapping,” Urban said. “It was a bloody great performance and everyone was cheering and cheering.

“I looked around and I see a few people standing and a few more and I thought ‘Oh, I’m getting up’. And then this guy behind me just whacked Nic, like really hit her, with the program.”

Read more: Nicole Kidman says The Undoing made her ‘really sick’

A shocked Kidman then allegedly told Urban and her mother that the man had “just hit me”.

Urban added: “I was like, ‘What?! Violence at the opera!’ It’s a bit of a pickle I was in because I’m a husband and you want to defend your wife but it took a lot of restraint. I was pretty upset.”

Urban explained that he was unaware that standing ovations were not allowed at the Opera House, as he had never attended an opera before.

Kidman and Urban have been based in Australia since last August, with Kidman working on the limited series Nine Perfect Strangers.

That same month, she posted an emotional Instagram message detailing a reunion with her 80-year-old mother, who she had not seen in person for eight months due to the coronavirus pandemic.