Jason Manford was SACKED by Paddy McGuinness for being ‘too humorous’

Jason Manford has revealed Paddy McGuinness sacked him because the assist act for his stand-up tour as a result of he was ‘too humorous’.

The comedian, 42, is heading again out on tour subsequent yr across the similar time as Paddy, who’s returning to stand-up after an eight-year absence.

Speaking solely to MailOnline, Jason fondly remembers how he was chosen to be Paddy’s warm-up man for the Take Me Out host’s debut tour in 2006 however was axed for getting too many laughs.

Jason says: ‘I used to be a membership comedian on the time, incomes £70 an evening, within the early noughties and I acquired this cellphone name asking if I wished to assist Paddy McGuinness on tour doing correct theatres.

‘I used to be instructed “You’ll be done by 8.15pm and it’s £100 a show”, so I used to be like “yes I will”. I snapped their hand off.

‘It actually beats acting at Leicester Jongleurs and having beer bottles thrown at me.

‘I signed up for the entire tour which was round 80 dates, I used to be pondering I may put down a deposit on a bit of flat in Manchester or one thing.

‘Around six or seven gigs in I assumed I used to be doing rather well as I used to be “club ready”, my act was actually polished, however I then acquired a name from the tour supervisor and he stated to me “they’ve decided to go in a different direction for support. I think you’re a bit too funny”.’

Jason believes the viewers who got here to see Paddy, 50, loved his routine as a result of his family-friendly humour may be very a lot consistent with Peter Kay, Paddy’s greatest pal and Phoenix Nights co-star.

He explains: ‘Paddy was new to face up and since I used to be a bit just like Peter Kay, who was my hero, I suppose the viewers that had been coming off the again of Phoenix Nights had been sort of my individuals who giggle on the similar issues as me.

‘So ended up getting sacked as Paddy’s tour assist, regardless that one evening I did longer than him on stage!’

Despite the axing, Jason holds no grudges in opposition to Paddy, revealing he contacted his fellow comedian when tickets for her new tour went on sale in November, joking: ‘If you’re in search of tour assist, I do know a good comedian.’

Paddy replied tongue-in-cheek: ‘Do go on his particulars.’

On Paddy, Jason added: ‘I’ve acquired to say, if I used to be sat round a desk now of Harry Hill, Dara O’Briain, Sarah Millican, Peter Kay and Paddy McGuinness, I assure Paddy could be the funniest particular person at that desk.

‘In firm, he’s hilarious. So if he can get no matter he’s acquired if you’re simply speaking to him and replicate on stage, he’s onto a winner.’

Jason has simply introduced his main new tour – A Manford All Seasons – following the massive success of his offered out Like Me tour which ran for almost two years and performed over 280 exhibits.

The father-of-six is among the busiest, most profitable and versatile comedians round – he acts in TV dramas, stars in main West End musicals, presents TV leisure and quiz exhibits and hosts an award profitable Sunday morning present on Absolute Radio.

And this weekend the star is returning to ITV prime time on Sunday evening internet hosting The National Lottery’s New Year’s Eve Big Bash which airs at 6pm.

The extravaganza, which was filmed earlier this month, was introduced ahead to keep away from a conflict with the BBC’s New Year’s Eve protection and Jason believes the present will probably be an enormous hit with audiences, following on from the success of final yr’s particular.

He says: ‘It’s a type of exhibits that with out National Lottery funding, no TV firm may afford to put it on – that’s how large it’s.

‘We have Take That, Busted, Paloma Faith, Becky Hill, Brian Cox studying a poem, aerialists and Britain’s Got Talent stars, it’s continuous leisure for 2 hours.

‘It’s a present that’s nice to host as a result of it’s not concerning the presenters, we simply preserve it ticking alongside.’

The present will see Jason’s return to ITV following the choice to axe expertise collection Starstruck, through which he appeared as a decide alongside Shania Twain, Beverley Knight and Adam Lambert.

Starstruck, which showcased the UK’s prime tribute acts and was hosted by Olly Murs, ran for 2 collection earlier than being dropped.

However, Jason has supplied hope for followers of the present that it may sooner or later return, admitting it’s been paused, reasonably than gone for good, as ITV wished to prioritise new actuality expertise collection Mamma Mia! I Have A Dream.

He explains: ‘It’s a bizarre one as no person from ITV or the manufacturing firm has stated it’s completed.

‘They stated we’ve acquired an opportunity to do that Mamma Mia present, and that’s not the type of factor they’ll run yearly – as as soon as they’ve acquired the solid, that’s it – so in that respect, so far as I do know and I chatted to them in the summertime, it’s one of many exhibits they’ve acquired and it’s sat there and if it comes again then nice.’

He provides: ‘They had been even speaking about tweaking the format as a result of viewers had been pissed off that you possibly can lose a extremely good Adele as a result of the group wasn’t nice, however certainly one of them was good.

‘So after taking a look at viewer suggestions, which may change a number of issues and make sure the better of them undergo.’

Jason says the large attraction of Starstruck was seeing actual folks in motion, not celebrities, and he feels viewers are rising bored with seeing the identical previous faces.

He continued: ‘What I preferred about Starstruck is that persons are getting bored with the superstar ingredient type of factor, and having actual folks is enjoyable once more, which The Traitors has confirmed.

‘There’s an entire market in being a star of a sure degree the place they’ll get by means of the yr doing these kinds of exhibits – and I don’t begrudge any of them for incomes a residing and I do a few of them myself – nevertheless it’s good to see totally different folks.’