In an interview on The Six O’Clock Show comedian Jason Manford told hosts, Karen Koster and Greg O’Shea, how, at the age of 17, when working in a pub, he was persuaded to do his first stand-up gig by the pub landlady.
Working as a glass collector at a local pub he was coerced into taking to the stage when the comedians booked for a comedy night failed to turn up for their spot. The pub’s landlady said “he was funny in the kitchen” but that was entirely different from performing to a live audience. He was however offered £40, three or four times his normal pay, to fill-in, which he thankfully accepted.
His improvised ‘act’ went better than he expected, which gave him the impetus to develop his style of comedy that took the young novice onto the gruelling comedy circuit. It was here that he bumped into his comedy hero, Peter Kay, he was “just incredible.”
Now of course he has his own sell-out tours, which coupled with TV appearances in panel shows and quiz game shows, like Unbeatable and his acting in the comedy drama Scarborough, have made him a household name.
Jason Manford is currently touring with his sell-out show see details here Like Me