Michael McIntyre
- 48 years old
- English
- Writer, executive producer and stand-up comedian
Press clippings Page 26
Your average comedian can earn serious money these days. Your very good one can earn a fortune. Michael McIntyre's latest tour, for example, netted him £21m. But there's more than one way for a stand-up to rake in the cash.
As we'll see in BBC2's new documentary series Funny Business, corporate gigs and telly commercials are huge earners. You want Jason Manford? That'll be 25 grand.
With contributions from the likes of Jo Brand, John Cleese and Rhod Gilbert, the programme also poses the inevitable awkward question. Namely, is a comic selling their soul by doing this stuff? Some people clearly think so. Carmarthen's Rhod Gilbert points out that the only ad he's ever been willing to do is for Visit Wales.
Mind you, I personally reckon he sells it better, sloganwise, in a clip from Live At The Apollo: "Wales is all right! It's not s**t anymore! We've done it up!"
Mike Ward, Daily Star, 16th January 2013It's the motor-mouthed host's last show this year and a bumper cast squeezes onto his banquette of banter for the occasion. Ross welcomes arena-filling stand-up Michael McIntyre, actresses Sheridan Smith and Sienna Miller, plus Paralympic gold medallists Ellie Simmonds and Jonnie Peacock. Chef Jamie Oliver cooks festive food, while there's music from Charlotte Church and clowning from Broadway-wowing Russian troupe Slava's Snow Show.
The Telegraph, 21st December 2012Review: Michael McIntyre's Christmas Show
It was an entertaining event, if one where the Rubicon separating old-school and politically correct comedy was repeatedly crossed.
Bruce Dessau, Evening Standard, 18th December 2012Michael McIntyre's laughing all the way to the bank
Six years ago, Michael McIntyre was £40,000 in debt, with a wallet full of maxed-out credit cards and no way of paying the rent or buying food. Today the bank statements tell a different story, for he is Britain's most popular comedian. He earned £5 million over two years to the end of 2011.
Lisa Seawards, Daily Mail, 23rd November 2012Michael McIntyre interview
It's the early hours of the morning and Michael McIntyre is careful not to disturb his sleeping wife Kitty as he reaches for her phone and scrolls through the messages.
Jane Moore, The Sun, 16th November 2012Review: Michael McIntyre: Showtime
Those who see comedy as the medium of individuality - of the oddball comic looking into an unfamiliar world - will likely leave here disappointed, but that's fine. Michael McIntyre has this audience in the palm of his hand, and on tonight's effort they're here to stay.
Andrew Dipper, Giggle Beats, 15th November 2012Michael McIntyre interview
The comedian Michael McIntyre on how he overcame the scorn of his peers to become a record-breaking, stadium-filling stand-up.
Bryony Gordon, The Telegraph, 11th November 2012Michael McIntyre: Showtime - review
BANG! Straight in. First 10 minutes and Michael McIntyre has reasserted his position as the UK's biggest stand-up.
London Is Funny, 27th September 2012Review: Michael McIntyre, The O2, London
It's classic McIntyre - instantly relatable, neatly done, just original enough. He's certainly not the first person to find tiny hotel kettles irritating, but he's the only one in The 02 to have made millions, and millions laugh, out of sharing his irritation - and it would be churlish indeed to hate him for that.
Alice Jones, The Independent, 27th September 2012Michael McIntyre - review
To finish, there's an anecdote about a horrific trip to the dentist, whose anaesthetised hero is hauled across London bloodied, dismayed and slobbering his name inarticulately at bemused medics. It's a minor masterpiece of comic storytelling, against which the first half's cliches look tawdrier than ever.
Brian Logan, The Guardian, 27th September 2012