23 year old comedian, Jack Gleadow, has won the Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year award.
Born in Hull, Gleadow is a student at the University of Salford, and joins the ranks of many successful comedians who have won the award, including Rhod Gilbert and Josh Widdicombe.
Winning the award doesn’t mean that he is any less determined to work hard at a career in comedy. Much like the former winners, Gleadow is aware of the fact it doesn’t lead to automatic stardom.
“Its really nice. But just because they’ve won it doesn’t mean i’m going to reach their heights.
“It kind of sets a standard that you kind of have to uphold now because people are like ‘How good are you if they’ve won it in the past?’ Its all relative really.
“I’ve just go to carry on working hard. Back when they won it, they didn’t get instantly propelled to fame, they kept working hard. It just so happens that their careers have gone in the right direction.
“All I can do is just carry on doing that.”
Honoured to have won @LeicsComedyFest Mercury Comedian of The Year with such a strong Final – I can’t believe it thanks for the kind words everyone 🙂
— ??Jack Gleadow?? (@JackGleadow) February 25, 2018
On where he gets his ideas, Gleadow says, “the best ideas just pop into your mind. Like when you’re writing and you have an idea for something or you’re out and you see something.”
“It happens organically. If you try to force it too much it sounds forced and not too funny.”
The fame and fortune that comes with the profession is not a driving factor for Gleadow, who saw it as an enjoyable alternative to a “normal job.”
Admitting that he would be “pretty lazy” working a nine-to-five job, comedy took centre stage when Gleadow turned 18 and performed for the first time in his home town of Hull.
“It was at a venue owned by the drummer of Beautiful South and I just turned up.
“I was being sick into a cup before I went on. Then I went on and it was great. It just went on from there.
“Im always sick before gigs still, every now and then i’m there being sick thinking, ‘Why am i still putting myself through this?'”
Having already won the Amused Moose National Comic award, as well as the Great Yorkshire Fringe New Comedian of the Year award, Gleadow is now looking toward finishing university and the Edinburgh Comedy Festival.
“I wish i didn’t have to [finish university], but that is quite good because i’m working on a TV pilot for my final project. After that, I’ll probably go to the Edinburgh Festival. I am going to start writing my show to take up there next year.
“I’m trying to gig every night of the week for the rest of the year so just booking that in really.”
Gleadow has gigs coming up in April in Sheffield, Manchester and London. Tickets are available now and you can follow him on Twitter here.
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