John Bishop has issued an emotional career update. The Liverpool-born comic has currently been touring the country to celebrate 25 years since he first started in stand up.
The 58-year-old has revealed he has completed the UK and Ireland leg of the tour after a final show in Birmingham last night. John has shared some snaps from the event as he was visibly emotional on stage at the response from the audience. He said: “So grateful for how the 25 tour has gone.
“Thank you to everyone who has worked on it and Thankyou to everyone who came. The final night in Birmingham was filled with emotion and joy – a perfect way to end the UK leg of the tour. A few days rest before travelling down under…”
John also shared some snaps from the event on his Instagram Story as he thanked his fans for their support. He said: “That’s a wrap! Thank you to everyone around the UK and Ireland who has come to celebrate 25 years with me.”
Fans took to the comments to praise John after the update. Emma said: “This was so touching!! Absolutely broke me! Thanks for an amazing night and wonderful life story!”
Lisa added: “It’s brilliant the story at the end broke me. Hope you can come back to Belfast soon the waxing story was so funny”
John’s tour marks 25 years since his life changed forever when he entered the Frog and Bucket comedy and signed up to go on the open mic rather than pay the £4 entry fee.
John was in his mid thirties in a sales job and had just separated from his wife, Melanie. It was during a solo drink when he opted to go to try out the open microphone and the course of his life changed forever.
John discovered a love for comedy and rediscovered his passion for life, which eventually brought him back together with Melanie, and the two are still happily together.
The fairytale story has captured the attention of Hollywood for a new film inspired by his life titled ‘Is This Thing On?’. The movie has been directed by Bradley Cooper and stars Will Arnett in the role as the comedian based on John.
John spoke to the ECHO at the UK premiere of the film last month and admitted he was in disbelief to be gracing the red carpet alongside Hollywood royalty. He told the ECHO: “It’s so surreal to be here.
“You look down the [red carpet], Bradley Cooper is there, Laura Dern is there, Will Arnett is there. These people are in a movie inspired by what happened to me. It is bizarre.” He laughed: “But the most bizarre thing is to be talking to the ECHO on the red carpet.”
On the night before the UK premiere, John returned to the place where it all started in Manchester for a gig in celebration of his career, as he said: “This is completely going full circle, to talk about it on stage, to be at this movie [premiere] and then to be actually doing the job. I never thought I’d be doing this job.”
John was born in Liverpool before he moved to Runcorn with his family aged 10. The comic retains a strong Merseyside connection as he is a huge Liverpool FC fan and his early stand up skills were forged in the city centre’s clubs. For the film, his story has been transplanted to New York, but John pointed out how the two cities share a similar identity.
He told the ECHO: “There’s a thing about people from Liverpool that you can’t shake away. There’s a sense of community, a sense of responsibility and a sense of love.
“I think that’s why other people who are not from that city are so attracted to it, because when you get there you realise there’s a uniqueness. That’s why I’m so glad that New York is the home of [Is This Thing On?] because I feel the same there. There’s an identity. You’re not from the place, but you identify as from the place. And that’s something unique. Not every place has that.”