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Des McLean (comedian)

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Des McLean
Born
Glasgow, Scotland
Occupations
  • comedian
  • presenter
  • actor
  • event host
Years active2000-present
Websitedesmclean.com

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

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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

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

Shows Date
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

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Show appearances
Channel Title
BBC One Live Floor Show
BBC One New Comedy Awards Final
BBC One The One Show
BBC Two The Review Show
STV Is This The Way To Armadillo?
STV The Late Show
STV The Hour
STV Too Good To Waste
STV The Hogmanay Show
STV Live at Five
STV Toffee In My Pocket
STV The Night Shift
STV The STV Children's Appeal
STV My Life in 10 Pictures
STV Postcode Challenge
STV The Blether
STV Scotland Today
STV Scotland Tonight
STV The Five Thirty Show
STV Jak and Eddie's Scottish Kitchen
STV The Riverside Show
SPP The Glasgow Trip

The Glasgow Trip

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In 2017 Des created the online TV series The Glasgow Trip with fellow Glasgow comedian Gary Little.[4] They recorded twelve episodes and in 2019 the show was nominated for best online comedy at the Scottish Comedy Awards.

Overall No. in series Title
1 1 Roll With It
2 2 Health and Safety
3 3 Holding out for a Hero
4 4 Go West
5 5 Summer Special (part 1)
6 6 Summer Special (part 2)
7 1 The Big Break
8 2 Xmas Special
9 3 Back in the Game
10 4 Summer Special
11 5 Bodyguard
12 6 It's Happening

Radio

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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 Clyde Bowie at Breakfast
Radio Clyde Des McLean's Friday Night Comedy
Radio Clyde Des McLean's Sunday Sketch
Nation Radio Susie & Des Morning Show
Nation Radio Susie & Des Weekend Show

Theatre

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I, Tommy

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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.[5]

Bend it like Bertie

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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.[6]

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

Discography

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DVD releases

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

CD releases

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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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

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

References

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  1. ^ "Des McLean, comedian reviews : Chortle : The UK Comedy Guide". www.chortle.co.uk. Retrieved 11 August 2023.
  2. ^ "Des McLean | Writer, Producer, Actor". IMDb. Retrieved 11 August 2023.
  3. ^ "Gallery - desmclean.com". desmclean.com. Retrieved 11 August 2023.
  4. ^ The Glasgow Trip (Comedy), Gary Little, Des McLean, Barry Grant, Sorepaw Productions, 1 June 2017, retrieved 11 August 2023{{citation}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  5. ^ "Tommy Sheridan using the bedroom tax to rebuild his political career, says former comrade Rosie Kane". Daily Record. 11 August 2013. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  6. ^ "Comedian Des Mclean given Lisbon Lions blazer by Bertie Auld's family | Glasgow Times". www.glasgowtimes.co.uk. Retrieved 11 August 2023.
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