Matt Richardson: Feeling the Benefit interview
Published: Thursday 18th October 2018
As if Matt Richardson didn't have enough plates in aerial rotation already. He's currently touring the UK with his latest stand-up show Slash, which - among other things - delves into the weird side-effects of the TV fame he's accrued in recent years, as the host of high-profile shows like The Xtra Factor and Celebrity Haunted Mansion.
Indeed, he has a whole new one, The Hangover Games, starting on E4 early next year. Somehow the in-demand comic also manages to marry all of that with a radio show, in the drivetime slot on Virgin Radio, every weekday. And he's also now an ambassador. Not the diplomatic immunity kind, though.
Earlier this year Richardson and his brother Alex became ambassadors for the National Autistic Society, and Matt will combine that with comedy at London's wonderful Union Chapel on Monday 12th November. The Matt and Co Comedy Show is a fundraiser for the charity, also starring Russell Howard, Iain Stirling, Angela Barnes, Joe Wilkinson, Adam Hess, Stephen Bailey and Richardson's Hangover Games co-host, Ken Cheng.
Now that's some impressive favour-pulling.
Could you tell us about the Matt & Co Comedy Show, and particularly what the charity does?
The show is the first stand-up fundraiser I've ever booked and it's also the first one that The National Autistic Society have ever been involved in, too. So it's very exciting for all of us. They're a charity who transform lives, change attitudes and create a society that works for autistic people. They provide support, information and practical advice for the 700,000 autistic adults and children in the UK as well as their three million family members and carers.
I saw Russell Howard do a rollicking benefit set recently - do comics get to let rip a bit on these shows?
I love a benefit gig, audiences are really wonderful at charity nights - I don't know if it's the warm fuzzy feeling you get when you do a good deed or if it's the fact you get a cracking line-up at charity gigs, but you definitely can let yourself relax and try things you wouldn't necessarily do on a Saturday night in a weekend comedy club.
How did you get involved with The National Autistic Society?
We started working together at the start of 2018 after I chose them as my charity on The Chase: Celebrity Special. I managed to lose and I wanted to make it up to them after being so close to getting £32,000 for them! My younger brother is autistic so it's always been a cause close to my heart.
Being an ambassador sounds cool - do you get ambassadorial privileges?
The only privilege is having a new connection with my brother. There was so much about the way he saw the world I didn't know until we started working together as ambassadors and explored his autism together. It's been really eye opening and I feel much closer to him because of it! And he buys me Ferrero Rocher.
Does being an ambassador mean you have to be on your best behaviour now - are there any saucy bits in your current show?
Luckily there hasn't been any requirement to tone down my show. If I had to go clean I'd have about 35 seconds of material left!
Your tour show sounds great - does the TV work throw up a fair bit of material? Which story tends to get the best reaction?
My favourite story in it by far is the one about having to remove a tampon from my girlfriend when she couldn't do it herself. It's pretty full-on and I really enjoy doing it! Other than that the show is based around all the gay fan fiction written about me on the internet which is incredibly amusing...
Touring theatres was always a goal, but do you miss the camaraderie of the circuit green rooms too - and is a show like Matt and Co handy for that?
I still manage to do circuit gigs in between tour dates so I get the best of both worlds. However, this gig is great because every single comic on the bill is a friend of mine and someone I enjoy seeing, so it's a big social for me.
You did a Roast Battle against Angela Barnes recently - what's your post-Roast assessment?
She won fair and square. The last joke totally nailed me. I'd love to tell you I'm over it, but I would be lying through my teeth.
Can you tell us a bit about The Hangover Games?
It's a new game show starting in 2019 where we surprise hungover people with a pop-up studio and loads of games you'd struggle to do without a hangover. They win money and Ken Cheng is my teetotal score-keeping sidekick.
The radio show got a nice award nom recently - but how on earth do you fit everything else around it?
Yes! I was really chuffed - 'funniest show' - what pressure! I'm very lucky to have the cushiest slot in radio, 4pm-7pm, which gives me the luxury of having a whole day before and an evening afterwards. It suits me perfectly so I can still gig and still film in the days. I'd love to say it's really chaotic, but I don't have a stressful job, I just have to talk about myself!
The Matt and Co Comedy Show is on Monday 12th November 2018 at Union Chapel in Islington. To find out more and book tickets visit autism.org.uk
For tickets to see Matt's live tour, Slash, visit mattrichardsoncomedy.co.uk
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