Kevin Bridges addresses heckling audience members in interview

Kevin Bridges has addressed a series of heckling incidents during his mammoth 180-date UK and Ireland tour in an interview with Scotland on Sunday.

The Clydebank comedian admitted that he “lost the plot” with at least one audience member in Edinburgh, and compared the larger arenas he was playing to a “T in the Park” atmosphere.

One of the most recent reported incidents involved a heckler at a show in Glasgow’s Hydro last week, who accused Bridges of “forgetting his roots” after haranguing him for a photo. Earlier this year, he walked out of a gig in Derry after one woman’s persistent heckling, but later gave the takings of the abandoned show to Children in Crossfire.

But Bridges was less charitable about those who interrupt his shows, telling Scotland on Sunday: “When you play to that many people, it’s a bit more T in the Park. And it’s no’ even heckling, it’s just people shouting your name, where they live, or utter nonsense. It’s just that level of popularity. If one per cent are hammered that’s 30 arseholes in the crowd.”

Addressing the incident in Edinburgh, he added: “I lost the plot with the guy. It’s no’ so much at him, it’s just that every night there’s that guy, so if you’re doing 150 shows and you get somebody doing that…”

Bridges later suggested that he would deccelerate his stand-up commitments.

“This year I’ve played to half a million people and you feel a bit mentally exhausted. It takes its toll. I don’t know if I could sustain that forever. I’m grateful for the demand but it’s just crazy, 180 shows. Aye, I think I’ve went a wee bit crazy.”

• Read the full Kevin Bridges interview with the Scotland on Sunday here