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Kevin Bridges

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Kevin Bridges
Bridges in 2015
Birth nameKevin Andrew Bridges
Born (1986-11-13) 13 November 1986 (age 37)
Clydebank, West Dunbartonshire, Scotland
MediumStand-up, television, radio
Years active2002–present
GenresObservational comedy
Subject(s)Everyday life, family, human interaction, current events
Spouse
Kerry Monaghan
​
(m. 2019)​
Notable works and rolesStand Up for the Week
Live at the Apollo
Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow
Websitewww.kevinbridges.co.uk

Kevin Andrew Bridges (born 13 November 1986) is a Scottish stand-up comedian. His 2012 television series Kevin Bridges: What's the Story? was based on his stand-up routines.

He has appeared on many television panel shows, including Would I Lie to You?, Have I Got News for You, and has performed on Live at the Apollo and Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow.

Career

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Stand-up

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Bridges began performing on stage when he left school shortly after turning 17, doing stand-up comedy gigs at The Stand Comedy Club in his hometown of Glasgow and then throughout the UK. He said he was inspired to try stand up after reading Frank Skinner's autobiography. At 18, he reached the final of Channel 5's So You Think You're Funny competition at the Edinburgh Fringe.[1] In 2006, Bridges performed his first full-length solo show at the Glasgow International Comedy Festival, to a sold-out audience and much critical acclaim. Moving into bigger venues every year, Bridges sold out his hometown festival in 2007, 2008 and 2009.[2] He performed at the 2008 Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Bridges appeared on the BBC's Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow, where he performed at the Edinburgh Playhouse.[3][4] He returned to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2009 with his show 'An Hour to Sing For Your Soul'. He was nominated for best newcomer in the Edinburgh Comedy Awards.[5]

In 2010, Bridges took part in Channel 4's Comedy Gala, a benefit show held in aid of Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital, filmed live at the O2 Arena in London.[6] He won the breakthrough award at the 2010 Chortle Awards.[7]

Bridges' debut DVD, titled Kevin Bridges: The Story So Far... Live in Glasgow, filmed at Glasgow's SECC, was released on 22 November 2010,[8] and went on to sell over 350,000 copies. [9]

In 2012, Bridges embarked on his second stand-up tour of the UK, The Story Continues. The tour broke box office records, selling out the SECC five times and selling over 45,000 tickets on the first day. Bridges performed 136 dates during the tour, including ten sold-out shows at the SECC.[10] His second DVD, titled The Story Continues... was released on 12 November 2012.

In 2015, Bridges embarked on his third stand-up tour of the UK, A Whole Different Story. The tour saw Bridges sell over 500,000 tickets across 145 dates, including 16 sold-out shows at The Hydro in Glasgow. During the tour, he recorded his third DVD, which went on to sell over 300,000 copies, including 40,000 in its first week, outselling fellow comedians Michael McIntyre and John Bishop.[11][12]

Bridges became disillusioned with stand-up after his 145-night tour in 2015. After having a discussion with his dad, he decided to take a sabbatical from performing.[13] During this period he moved to Spain and was eventually inspired by the freedom he had to return to stand-up.[14] When Bridges returned from Spain, he did "three or four" unannounced work-in-progress gigs to test out his new material.[15]

After over a year away from stand-up, Bridges returned in 2018 with The Brand New Tour, which included a record 19 sold-out nights at The Hydro. Bridges was awarded the 'Gie it Laldy' award by the CEO of the Scottish Event Campus, in recognition for playing forty-six shows across the SEC Centre and The Hydro.[16] He has also sold more tickets for the Scottish Event Campus than any other solo artist.[17] His Brand New Tour was also voted the UK's Ticket of the Year in a poll conducted by Ticketmaster.[18] Bridges is the first comedian to top the annual poll voted for by Ticketmaster customers.[19]

Television

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Bridges' television career started on Comedy Central UK, in April 2008, with a set on The World Stands Up. Shortly thereafter, he appeared on Comedy Store (also on Comedy Central). His performances on these shows and on the comedy circuit and at festivals led to his being given his first mainstream television break on 5 June 2009 on BBC One's Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow. Bridges was critically commended for his performance. Over five million viewers saw his debut and his entire 25-night run at the Edinburgh festival sold out in hours, with extra shows being subsequently added and also selling out. Bridges went on to be nominated for the 2009 Edinburgh Comedy Awards (formerly Perrier) in the best newcomer category.

His TV work since then has included BBC One's Live at the Apollo and also a "Best of British Special" (episode 7 of the eighth series) of 8 out of 10 Cats, in July 2009. He also appeared in BBC 2 Scotland's Gary: Tank Commander (episode 6). Bridges appeared in Rab C Nesbitt in the first episode of the new series in 2010, on Mock the Week in February 2010, and has appeared twice in Would I Lie To You?.[20][21] He was a guest on the BBC One show Friday Night with Jonathan Ross on 28 May 2010. Since June 2010, Bridges is a regular performer on Channel 4's Stand Up for the Week.[22] His six-part BBC One series, Kevin Bridges: What's the Story?, began on 8 February 2012. He was asked to appear in I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here, but turned it down.[23]

In 2014, BBC One commissioned three specials hosted by Bridges.[24] Live At The Commonwealth, filmed at the Glasgow's Theatre Royal to coincide with the city hosting the 2014 Commonwealth Games, featured internationally renowned comedians from the Commonwealth.[25] Live at the Referendum, also filmed at the Theatre Royal, brought together four of the UK's top comedians to give their views on the 2014 Scottish independence referendum.[26] In the third special, Kevin Bridges: What's The Story – Referendum Special, Bridges took to the streets gathering grassroots opinions from across Scotland and beyond about the referendum.[27]

Radio

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On 6 March 2010, Bridges took part in the BBC 5 Live show Fighting Talk, on which he came second behind Greg Brady, becoming the youngest person ever to appear on the show at the time (a record since broken by fellow comedian Jack Whitehall). In November 2010, he was also a contestant on BBC Radio 4's The Unbelievable Truth.

Personal life

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Bridges is the son of Andy and Patricia Bridges and has a brother, John, who is ten years older.[28] He grew up in the Hardgate area of Clydebank and attended St Mary's Primary and St Columba's High.[28][29]

He married Kerry Monaghan in 2019. In December of 2022, Bridges announced the birth of his first child, a son, born in May of that year.[30]

Stand-up shows

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Year Title Notes
2010 The Story So Far
2012 The Story Continues
2014–15 A Whole Different Story
2018 The Brand New Tour
2022–23 The Overdue Catch-Up

DVD releases

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Title Released Notes
The Story So Far...Live in Glasgow 22 November 2010 Live at Glasgow's SEC Centre
The Story Continues... 12 November 2012
A Whole Different Story...Live 2015 23 November 2015 Live at Glasgow's SSE Hydro
The Brand New Tour - Live 7 December 2018
The Overdue Catch-Up - Live 4 December 2023 Live at Cork's Opera House

Filmography

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List of acting performances in film and television
Year Title Role Notes
2009 8 Out of 10 Cats Himself
Gary: Tank Commander Eddy Television acting debut
Episode: Stagging On
2009–2010 Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow Himself
2010 Sports Relief 2010 Himself
Channel 4's Comedy Gala Himself
Rab C. Nesbitt Mambo Episode: Heal
You Have Been Watching Himself
You Have Been Watching Himself
Friday Night with Jonathan Ross Himself
Comedy Central at the Comedy Show Himself
Breakfast Himself (comedian)
Mock the Week Himself
2010–2011 Stand Up for the Week Host
Grouchy Young Men Himself Television series
2010–2012 Live at the Apollo Himself
2010–2016 Have I Got News For You Himself
2011 That Sunday Night Show Himself
Red Nose Day 2011 Presenter
BAFTA Scotland Awards Host
2011–2019 A League of their Own Himself
2012 Kevin Bridges: What's the Story? Himself Also writer and producer, Television special
2014 Kevin Bridges Live At.. Himself
2014–2020 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown Himself Contestant
Team Captain
2017 All Round to Mrs. Brown's Himself Interviewed guest

Awards and nominations

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Year Nominee / work Award Result
2012 Kevin Bridges: What's the Story? Best Writer Nominated

Bibliography

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Non-fiction

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  • We Need to Talk About . . . Kevin Bridges (Penguin, 2014)

Novels

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  • The Black Dog (Wildfire, 2022)

References

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  1. ^ "Kevin Bridges". The Comedy Club Ltd. Archived from the original on 13 May 2009. Retrieved 28 July 2009.
  2. ^ "Kevin Bridges". Off the Kerb. 8 February 2018. Retrieved 8 February 2018.
  3. ^ "Kevin Bridges Artist Home Page". Off The Kerb Productions. Archived from the original on 9 June 2009. Retrieved 28 July 2009.
  4. ^ "Michael McIntyre – The Invention of the Kilt". BBC Comedy. 27 May 2009. Retrieved 21 July 2011.
  5. ^ "Hard-working comedian's soul sings". BBC Comedy. 28 August 2009. Retrieved 30 November 2018.
  6. ^ "Channel 4's Comedy Gala" (Press release). Channel 4. 5 April 2010. Retrieved 21 July 2011.
  7. ^ "Kevin Bridges" (Press release). Chortle. 30 November 2018. Retrieved 30 November 2018.
  8. ^ "Kevin Bridges DVD". Play.com. Retrieved 6 December 2015.
  9. ^ "Scots stand-up star Kevin Bridges opens his heart on fame, love and family". Daily Record. 9 November 2012. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  10. ^ "Review - Kevin Bridges: The Story Continues". comedy.co.uk. 11 October 2012. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  11. ^ "New Kevin Bridges DVD sells 40,000 copies in one week since its launch". Daily Record. 2 December 2015. Retrieved 7 December 2018.
  12. ^ "KEVIN BRIDGES: THE BRAND NEW TOUR IS ON SALE NOW". Off the Kerb. Retrieved 8 February 2018.
  13. ^ "Scottish stand-up Kevin Bridges considered walking away from comedy". The Scotsman. 2 December 2018. Retrieved 2 December 2018.
  14. ^ "Kevin Bridges: I was ready to quit comedy". Daily Record. 2 December 2018. Retrieved 2 December 2018.
  15. ^ "Subscribe to the Australian | Newspaper home delivery, website, iPad, iPhone & Android apps".
  16. ^ "GIE IT LALDY! KEVIN BRIDGES RECEIVES HYDRO'S NEW AWARD". Off the Kerb. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
  17. ^ "The SSE Hydro on Twitter". SSE Hydro. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
  18. ^ "News: Kevin Bridges Tops Ticketmaster Poll". Beyond The Joke. 27 November 2018. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
  19. ^ "Kevin Bridges gets Ticketmaster Ticket Of The Year title". British Comedy Guide. 27 November 2018. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
  20. ^ "BBC One – Would I Lie to You?, Series 4, Episode 3". BBC. 5 March 2012. Retrieved 6 December 2015.
  21. ^ "BBC One – Would I Lie to You?, Series 5, Episode 2". BBC. 5 April 2013. Retrieved 6 December 2015.
  22. ^ Sweney, Mark (14 June 2010). "Channel 4 lines up topical standup show hosted by Patrick Kielty". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 3 July 2010.
  23. ^ "Kevin Bridges reveals gambling problem : News 2014 : Chortle : The UK Comedy Guide". Chortle.co.uk. 5 October 2014. Retrieved 6 December 2015.
  24. ^ "Three new BBC One specials commissioned with Scottish comic Kevin Bridges". BBC. 6 June 2014. Retrieved 29 November 2018.
  25. ^ "Kevin Bridges: Live at the Commonwealth". BBC. 14 September 2014. Retrieved 29 November 2018.
  26. ^ "Kevin Bridges: Live at the Referendum". BBC. 14 September 2014. Retrieved 29 November 2018.
  27. ^ "Kevin Bridges What's The Story: Referendum Special". BBC. 14 September 2014. Retrieved 29 November 2018.
  28. ^ a b "Interview: Comedian Kevin Bridges- The best since Billy Connolly?". The Scotsman. Edinburgh. 21 November 2010.
  29. ^ Kevin Bridges speaks to the Gazette – Local Headlines. Lanark Gazette (22 October 2010). Retrieved 20 September 2012.
  30. ^ "Comedian Kevin Bridges shares first glimpse of son and reveals baby's sweet name". MSN. Retrieved 20 December 2022.
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