Des McLean (comedian) explained

Des McLean
Birth Place:Glasgow, Scotland
Years Active:2000-present

Des McLean is a Scottish stand-up comedian,[1] actor,[2] and a presenter for radio and television[3] from Glasgow. Billy Connolly has cited McLean as his favourite comedian.

Comedy

McLean started working in comedy in 2000, and was a finalist in both the BBC New Comedy Awards and the Channel 4 programme So You Think You’re Funny?. In 2002 McLean made his debut at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe with his one-man show Des McLean 5 Stars and appeared on the BBC series Live Floor Show. The following year he performed at the Glasgow International and New York comedy festivals.

While still hosting daily radio shows McLean starred as The Tin Man in the Glasgow Pavilion Theatre pantomime Wizard of Oz in 2008 and Jiminy Cricket in Pinocchio in 2009. His flair for more serious acting won him the lead role in the theatre drama Two Tales of Love and Loss.

McLean's live stand-up comedy DVDs became top sellers in Scotland, Live At Glasgow City Halls in 2007, Talkin' Aboot Live in 2009, and Is This The Way To Armadillo? in 2010, his stand-up show at The Clyde Auditorium was recorded as a television special for STV.

McLean left Radio Clyde in 2010 and has worked since on television as a presenter for The One Show on BBC One. He has also hosted various STV programmes including Hogmanay, The Hour and Too Good to Waste.

Streetcast, McLean's comedy podcast, has also received rave reviews and his many YouTube sketches have over a million views. In October 2011 McLean completed a tour of New Zealand playing venues such as The Vector Arena and Hawkes Bay Opera House.

In June 2013 McLean performed his stand up at the "Top of the Riv" in the iconic Riviera Hotel in Las Vegas.

In 2014 Des McLean announced a new nationwide tour and released a live DVD, Des Mclean's A-Z of Scotland. He then took the production on the road in 2015, including a tour of Canada.

2016 saw Des embark on a brand new stand up tour, simply titled Des McLean Live. Then extra dates were added and the tour was extended onto 2017.

In 2019 McLean took The Glasgow Trip: Stand Up Special on a nationwide comedy tour, with fellow comedian Gary Little.

2020 and the beginning of lockdown saw Des create Comedy Club in Your Front Room with Zoom, an innovative, online comedy show which ran up to Christmas 2022. It featured acts all over the world, and was regarded by many as the best digitally based comedy production in the UK.

In 2022 through 2024, Des hosted the Des McLean Comedy Stage at the music festival Party at the Palace.

Comedy Clubs

As well as this, Des compares 9 recurring comedy clubs under the "Des McLean & Friends" brand.

ShowsDate
East Kilbride Comedy Club (EK Sports Club)Monthly
Comedy at the Corbie (Corbie Inn)Monthly
The Comedy Sauna (Cafe Mariana)Monthly
Fintry Comedy Tent (Fintry Inn)Monthly
Comedy at Kippen (Inn at Kippen)Bi-monthly
Mill & Brae Comedy (Mill & Brae Hotel)Quarterly
Broughty Ferry (Urban Beach at Glass Pavillion)Quarterly
Comedy at the Crow (Crow Tavern)Quarterly
Shotts Comedy Club (Marbles Club)Quarterly

Television

Show appearances!Channel!Title
BBC OneLive Floor Show
BBC OneNew Comedy Awards Final
BBC OneThe One Show
BBC TwoThe Review Show
STVIs This The Way To Armadillo?
STVThe Late Show
STVThe Hour
STVToo Good To Waste
STVThe Hogmanay Show
STVLive at Five
STVToffee In My Pocket
STVThe Night Shift
STVThe STV Children's Appeal
STVMy Life in 10 Pictures
STVPostcode Challenge
STVThe Blether
STVScotland Today
STVScotland Tonight
STVThe Five Thirty Show
STVJak and Eddie's Scottish Kitchen
STVThe Riverside Show
SPPThe Glasgow Trip

The Glasgow Trip

In 2017 Des created the online TV series The Glasgow Trip with fellow Glasgow comedian Gary Little. They recorded twelve episodes and in 2019 the show was nominated for best online comedy at the Scottish Comedy Awards.

Radio

In 2005 McLean was sought by Radio Clyde to provide sketches for the Bowie at Breakfast programme on Clyde 1. He soon became the co-host on the breakfast show with George Bowie, with the two men winning Sony Radio Academy Awards in the Best Breakfast and Entertainment Categories. McLean recorded a series of wind-up telephone calls for the programme, fooling stars that included Sean Connery, Rod Stewart and Joan Rivers. The daily calls became a series of four top selling CD releases, The Best of The 8.10 Sketches. McLean went on to host his own comedy sketch shows Friday Night Comedy and Des McLean's Sunday Sketch. In 2020 Des joined Nation radio hosting the morning and weekend shows with Suzie McGuire.

Shows!Station!Title
Radio ClydeBowie at Breakfast
Radio ClydeDes McLean's Friday Night Comedy
Radio ClydeDes McLean's Sunday Sketch
Nation RadioSusie & Des Morning Show
Nation RadioSusie & Des Weekend Show

Theatre

I, Tommy

In January 2012 it was reported that McLean would be playing politician Tommy Sheridan, who was convicted of perjury during 2010, in a new play I, Tommy, written by Rab C. Nesbitt creator Ian Pattison. Mclean's performance as Sheridan achieved critical acclaim from both critics and leading actors. David Hayman on BBC2 Review show described Des' performance as "Extraordinary." The Times called it "Pitch Perfect" and The Scotsman "devastatingly accurate". The play was one of the most successful productions at The Edinburgh Fringe, and after a national tour of Scotland it finished the year at the Kings Theatre, Glasgow. There was a further run of I, Tommy in late 2013 in the Pavilion Theatre, Glasgow with Rosie Kane playing herself.[4]

Bend it like Bertie

Des, in addition to continuing to compere and perform at comedy clubs the length and breadth of Scotland, took to the stage to play the part of Lisbon Lion Bertie Auld in the hilarious and heartwarming play Bend it like Bertie at Websters Theatre in Glasgow. The show, written by Glasgow playwright Jim Orr, was such a hit with theatre goers it embarked on a 2022 Scottish National tour performing in various locations. After seeing Des midway through the tour, the Auld family presented Des with Bertie Auld's Lisbon Lion blazer.[5]

In 2023, 'Bend it Like Bertie' played a smash-hit run at the Pavilion Theatre, Glasgow in February and Des returned to Las Vegas to perform the play at the iconic Westgate International Theater in June. In 2024 Bend it like Bertie will return to the Pavilion Theatre, Glasgow.

Shows!Date!Venue
2 September 2021Websters Theatre, Glasgow
3 September 2021Websters Theatre, Glasgow
4 September 2021Websters Theatre, Glasgow
4 September 2021Websters Theatre, Glasgow
13 November 2021Beacon Arts Centre, Greenock
24 May 2022Websters Theatre, Glasgow
25 May 2022Websters Theatre, Glasgow
26 May 2022Websters Theatre, Glasgow
27 May 2022Motherwell Theatre, Motherwell
29 May 2022Memorial Hall, Kilbarchan
31 May 2022Corran Halls, Oban
1 June 2022Whitehall Theatre, Dundee
2 June 2022Regal Theatre, Bathgate
3 June 2022Howden Park Centre, Livingston
4 June 2022Eastwood Park Theatre, Giffnock
5 June 2022Rothes Halls, Glenrothes
8 June 2022Eden Court, Inverness
9 June 2022Queens Hall, Dunoon
10 June 2022FTH Theatre, Falkirk
11 June 2022The Brunton, Musselburgh
12 June 2022Tivoli Theatre, Aberdeen
9 February 2023Pavilion Theatre, Glasgow
10 February 2023Pavilion Theatre, Glasgow
11 February 2023Pavilion Theatre, Glasgow
11 February 2023Pavilion Theatre, Glasgow
1 June 2023Grace's Irish Sports Bar, Glasgow
6 June 2023Westgate Theater, Las Vegas
15 July 2023Amharclann Gweedore Theatre, Ireland
8 February 2024Pavilion Theatre, Glasgow
9 February 2024Pavilion Theatre, Glasgow
10 February 2024Pavilion Theatre, Glasgow
10 February 2024Pavilion Theatre, Glasgow

Discography

DVD releases

YearTitle
2007Live at Glasgow City Halls
2009Talkin' Aboot Live
2010Is This The Way To Armadillo?
2014Des McLean's A to Z of Scotland

CD releases

"Bolt Ya Rocket!" - Best of the 8:10 Sketches Vol. 1 (2007)

Track Name
1This is no ordinary call
2Billy and the rapping granny
3Ina half day on Tuesday
4Educating Plunger
5Paddy the ringmaster
6Not a lot of people know this call
7School's out for Ina
8Don't call me Knobby
9Santa Bawbag
10Billy of the Rovers
11Advance Ned Speak series 6
12Trunk Call
13Ina's passage to India
14Paddy's close encounter
15Billy's super scoreboard
16Plunge's Caribbean Carnival
17Tommy talking tabloids
18Paddy's directory dilemma
19Plunge the wedding planner
20A couple of knobs
21Lee-Anne's labour of love
22Paddy's das boot sale
23Johnny Beattie's birthday bash

"Talkin' Aboot!" - Best of the 8:10 Sketches Vol. 2 (2008)

Track Name
1Billy and Rod Stewart
2Plunge Limo
3Paddy Catalogue
4Tommy Crisis Loan
5Louis and The MacDonald Brothers
6Ina 10k
7Plunge Vital Records
8Billy and Joan Rivers part 1
9Billy and Joan Rivers part 2
10Paddy and Jack McPhee
11Tommy Asda
12Nobby Bookshop
13Ina's Lost Keys
14Plunge Buckfast Abbey
15Billy and Melvyn Bragg
16Louis This Is Your Life
17Paddy Mole Screening
18Tommy Bingo Caller
19Billy Newspaper Interview
20Ina Decking
21Paddy Popcorn
22Tommy Interview
23Billy impersonator

"The Big Chap" - Best of the 8:10 Sketches Vol. 3 (2009)

Track Name
1Plunge Ned Bank
2Billy & 007
3Paddy Vending Machine
4Wolfgang Toy Poodle
5Ina 3 Legged dog
6Ralph Britain's Got Talent
7Plunge The Phone Hacker
8Paddy Fart Dog Whistle
9Wolfgang Reverse Call
10Billy Chopper
11Ina Unlucky 13th part1
12Ralph Shooting Sparrows
13Ina Lucky 13th part 2
14Plunge Camp America
15Wolfgang Crockery Crisis
16Paddy Pussy Zapper
17Billy On Last Parky
18Plunge Valet
19Wolfgang Burger King
20Ralph Budgie Reverse Call
21Ina Clock Change
22Billy Parking Ticket
23Wolfgang French Polisher
24Paddy Hearing Glasses
25Billy Rich List

"Hauf Day On a Tuesday" - Best of the 8:10 Sketches Vol. 4 (2010)

Track Name
1Ina call Mark
2Plunge Ned Awards 2009
3Paddy and Mrs.Prentice
4Jack Ferry and Son
5Billy and Archie McPherson
6Ina T in the Park Ticket
7Plunge Jeremy Kyle
8Craig Levein 118
9Paddy Thomas Cook
10Jack Ferry B and O
11George Burley Dutch Interview
12Gavin Strang Mall
13Wolfgang Special K
14Paddy Chatline
15Plunge Mothers Day
16Billy CNN USA
17Ina The Night Garden
18Paddy Post Box
19Jack Ferry Travel Agent
20Plunge Darth Vader Mask
21Tommy and Smeato
22Rab C X Factor
23Ina Halloween Mask
24Wolfgang Cuckoo Clock
25Come Dine With Jack
26Paddy Bingo Caller

Best of the 8:10 Sketches - Limited Edition Volumes 1 & 2 (2011)

After McLean's 4 CDs were released, a special boxset was made compiling his first 2 CDs, including a total of 46 tracks.

Personal life

McLean was brought up in the east-end of Glasgow and now lives in Robroyston with his wife Alison and son Harry.

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Des McLean, comedian reviews : Chortle : The UK Comedy Guide . 2023-08-11 . www.chortle.co.uk . en.
  2. Web site: Des McLean Writer, Producer, Actor . 2023-08-11 . IMDb . en-US.
  3. Web site: Gallery - desmclean.com . 2023-08-11 . desmclean.com . en-GB.
  4. News: 11 August 2013 . Tommy Sheridan using the bedroom tax to rebuild his political career, says former comrade Rosie Kane . Daily Record . 18 May 2021.
  5. Web site: Comedian Des Mclean given Lisbon Lions blazer by Bertie Auld's family Glasgow Times . 2023-08-11 . www.glasgowtimes.co.uk.