The King Of Comedy

Last year, Michael McIntyre was said to have been the highest-grossing comedian in the world, an impressive achievement. Not only is he the king of comedy, he's a kingmaker, having given a lot of other great comics exposure on his Saturday night television Comedy Roadshow in 2009-10. There followed a judging spot on Britain's Got Talent, though McIntyre seemed ill at ease sitting in judgment, quitting after one series to return to stand-up with a tour of the UK in which he was gigging every other night, culminating in 2012 with a ten-night sold out stand at London's O2 Arena, with roughly 20,000 fans pacing into the venue each night.

As you can imagine, the Hampstead-based comedian took it a bit easier this year, but he's rounding it off with his first foray to Australia, playing huge major city venues.

“It's a life experience,” he says, “an incredible thing to do. And I'm not that stressed about it because I know the show, I know what I'm doing. I've not worked very much this year, so it's more exciting for me to tell the jokes because I'm not bored with them.” McIntyre pauses for a moment, then lets loose with that infectious laugh, which punctuates this interview.  “I'm being very honest with you!”

McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow did get a run on the ABC and he's hoping Australians will come to the party, not just British expats. “I don't want the [big drunk expat crowds], I only want the locals who've picked up The Music to come! Lonely people who pick up magazines in pubs and record shops; maybe they're waiting for someone, or between relationships. It's a bit of a niche target audience but if they could come that would help me.”

McIntyre's broad appeal and relatable material have brought him huge success, but his relatively rapid rise has meant there's no shortage of people wanting to tear him down a peg. “I was on a plane once and everyone was taking the free fucking paper, and I had a bad review in it. I was just sat there in my seat watching people get to page eight, which was a full-page assassination of me, and you could see them reading it and looking over their shoulders all sympathetic – 'Oh dear, there he is, poor thing'. By the end of it the whole flight knew that it wasn't a good show - but it was a good show. It was just a bastard review. I don't like to read the reviews at all, just to avoid reading those snidey ones.”

McIntyre has gained the love of his fellow countrymen – perhaps by getting out and doing those 170 gigs last year, and striking while the iron is hot? “That's the problem, I don't know how hot the iron is,” he laughs. “The fact that I'm talking to you in the middle of the night doesn't bode well. But apparently there is an iron; it is working. I think it's one of those old irons you have to leave in the fire for a bit...”