To make people roar with laughter is no mean feat and we highly respect those bossing hecklers who can make our bones tickle. That being said this post is a salute to UK’s finest stand-up comedians of all time who steal the limelight every time they get on stage. So without wasting a single breath let’s dive right in to see who these people are!
- Eddie Izzard
Known for his eccentric wardrobe choices and blatant approach, Eddie Izzard is someone who has come to terms with the peculiar side of life. His more than often bizarre musings can address anything from grim public topics to rather wacky run-throughs of a routine life on the Death Star. He is quite popular for his work on TV and films, his political connection and also for being a part of some truly amazing marathon challenges for charity. When you see Izzard on stage in his element, it is hard not to be blown away with the bold material he puts forth for his audience.
- Michael McIntyre
Once Michael McIntyre started off in the mid 2000s, there was nothing that could stop him for becoming one of the most popular comedians in the UK ever! He has earned quite the reputation for himself as a hilarious host given the lively and rather energetic style that surrounds his routines. When it comes to presenting stand-up programs, he is a natural and he has also been a one-time judge on Britain’s Got Talent. His show “Michael McIntyre’s Big Show” is perhaps one of the most successful one out there and rightly so as he bagged a BAFTA in 2017 to prove it!
- Frankie Boyle
Frankie Boyle’s controversial and unapologetic behaviour has only fuelled the fire of his popularity. He made a name for himself by irately ranting all through “Mock The Week”. He has never been the one to turn a blind eye on the big issues and we can see that clear as day when he shares his views on Brexit. The US election of 2016 paved way for a hosting gig on “Frankie Boyle’s New World Order”. With his promise to mercilessly mock current affairs, audiences clamour to his stand-ups to get their fill of savage cynicism.
- Tommy Cooper
Tommy Cooper was a comic legend right down to the last cell in his body. His routines were often built on the premise of failed magic tricks and he continues to be a leading source of inspiration for many comedians even today. Cooper took his last breath doing what he loved – he was on stage entertaining a euphoric audience! If only he could pass on his lumbering hilarity with a simple Will template, we could all have the secret to his impressive slapstick comedy to make us snort with laughter.
- Jimmy Carr
With a laugh that’s instantly recognisable and a deadpan delivery that always hits the bull’s eye, Jimmy Carr is a comedian who is one of his kind! He treats hecklers with an unabashed brutality which efficiently shuts them up! Take a jab at his disputed tax history all that you want, he will always have a clever comeback every single time. Carr has been the face of British comedy for quite some time now and has hosted and appeared on a number of shows. You want to see Jimmy’s true colours, give him the stage and he will show you how it’s done!
- Ricky Gervais
If you are someone who gets easily offended, walk away right now! Ricky Gervais is an actor, a playwright and a director and yes he is amazing at it all! He even hosted the Golden Globes but if you want to see Ricky being truly awesome, you have to see his stand-up. His gags tend to sway your opinion more often than not but Ricky reined the comedy scene in the UK throughout the 2000s. His quips about what can and can’t be said are always about putting the proverbial toe out of the line and his famous tours “Animals” and “Politics” are witness to this awesomeness personified.
And there you have it – the alphas of comedy in the UK! Watch them perform, laugh with them and don’t forget to take along a box of tissue… to wipe the tears of mirth of course!
