Funnyman's cheeky tales has Comedy Champ judges in stitches

Aug 10 2008 By Steve Hendry

FAMILY man John Gavin reached the final of the Sunday Mail's Comedy Champ competition - four weeks after his first ever stand-up gig.

He will now compete in the final of the Gilded Balloon's prestigious show So You Think You're Funny, which has discovered the talents of comics such as Peter Kay, Dylan Moran, Rhona Cameron and Greg Hemphill.

Dad-of-three John, 28, is blown away by the opportunity to take to the stage at one of the highlights of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

He said: "It's taking a bit to sink in. If you'd told me five weeks ago I'd be in the final of So You Think You're Funny I'd have told you to stop sniffing glue."

Our semi-final took place in the Balcony Room at The Gilded Balloon's Teviot House base, one of the most famous venues in the festival.

John faced a showdown with fellow comics Ben Verth, 24, Mohammed Ashraf, 40, Christopher Stephen, 23, Jim Mullan, 43, and Brian Mooney, 49.

As well as a sold out fringe audience, they also had four judges to impress - Sunday Mail columnist Alison Craig, author, broadcaster and comedian Janey Godley, singer, comedian and Spitting Image impressionist Kate Robbins and the Gilded Balloon's Fraser Smith.

John, a computer trainer, was the unanimous winner for his routine about life with wife Shelley, 26, and his three daughters, Aimee, five, Eve, two, and 19-week-old Jessica.

And it was sweet revenge after Shelley secretly entered him for the competition.

He said: "She is OK about it and the kids think it's brilliant I talk about them.

"They think they'll be famous. "People seem to like that fact my material is all true."

Judge Kate, whose show Songs From The Pool is at the Gilded Balloon until August 24, has a nose for talent. She is part of a Liverpool showbiz dynasty which includes sister Amy, who stars in The Royal, and cousin Sir Paul McCartney.

She said: "We all had one winner in mind. I loved the way John talked about his family and his OCD wife - it takes a week to make dinner because she has to put everything back in its place."

Sunday Mail columnist Alison added: "John was brilliant. He clearly struggles to be a new man - which probably chimes with most of them in Scotland!"

John, of Hamilton, prepared for the Comedy Champ semi-final by doing a handful of impromptu gigs at The Stand's Red Raw and local pubs. And he will be doing more of the same to get ready for the grand final.

He added: "I haven't decided if I'll bring my mum Hazel along. I've not let her come because I say some bad words.

"It's a massive opportunity and I want to give it my best shot."

Tickets for the grand final of So You Think You're Funny at the Gilded Balloon on Thursday, August 21, are £14 (£13 concs), from 0131 668 1633.

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