Kevin Bridges: People were angry I joked about the Queen’s death – but it’s what comedians do
COMEDY king Kevin Bridges was faced with his most daunting gig ever – making people laugh less than two hours after the death of the Queen was announced to the world.
The record-breaking funny man had just minutes to decide how to deal with the ultimate comedy curveball, as millions of stunned Royal lovers around the globe mourned the Monarch’s passing.
But he knew thousands of his own adoring fans – many who had already arrived inside Glasgow’s OVO Hydro when the announcement was made – would expect him to not only carry on with the show but to address the massive news story head on.
And speaking for the first time about the sell-out gig last September, he said: “I thought I nailed it.”
Bridges faced an inevitable social media backlash after his opening few minutes included jokes about Her Maj.
First, he told 12,000 fans: “The doors were at half six and she hung on, it’s what she would’ve wanted.”
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And then, in a nod to the cost-of-living crisis, he quipped: “She won’t be the only old woman to die this winter.”
There had been doubts over whether the show would even go ahead and Twitter went into meltdown as word about his opening gags began to filter through.
But addressing the controversy for the first time in an exclusive interview with the Scottish Sun, Clydebank-born Kevin, 37, said he didn’t even read the online comments.
He said: “That’s the internet. I thought I nailed it.
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“I grew up in the clubs and if something big happens in the news when you’re backstage, you’re all scribbling and thinking what are the best lines we can come up with. People are there for a laugh - you need to address it.
“People need to learn that you get such a flawed perception of reality when you read stuff online, especially Twitter.
“You start thinking this is what everyone is talking about. My agent said I was trending at the top in the UK. But in reality, I’m out walking the dog and the people I’m chatting to aren’t giving a f**k.
“But on that app (Twitter), and that’s what it is - an app - you could freak yourself out.
“When I go onstage, I have confidence in what I’m going to say and it’s coming from a good place. I’m addressing a massive situation while trying to make people laugh.
“People were already inside and many people are skint. A lot of them would have bought their tickets a year in advance and they’re not all from Glasgow, they’re coming from all over the place.”
He went on to poke fun at the backlash the following night, telling fans that he’d “f****d his chances of a Knighthood” but at least he’d received a nice message of support from Meghan Markle.
The comic was speaking ahead of the cinema release of his Overdue Catch-up tour which hits screens up and down the country tomorrow.
Filmed in the Cork Opera House, the hilarious production features brand-new material and exclusive backstage access.
Bridges is currently finishing the final leg of his tour in Australia before deciding on the next chapter of a sensational career which has seen him smash box office records time and time again.
February will see the 20th anniversary of his debut at the Stand Comedy Club in Glasgow as a 17-year-old and he’s considering a change of direction as he aims to put his young family first, rather than travelling the world on his own and living out of a suitcase.
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Kevin Bridges - The Overdue Catch-up is in cinemas for a limited time from today. Tickets available on
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