Natural entertainer had crowd in tears

John Bishop, Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff

HE’S the lovable Scouser who came to comedy relatively late in life.

And as I walked home, I couldn’t help but think that it’s a shame John Bishop hasn’t always been around.

Bishop returned to Cardiff this week for the latest dates in his latest tour ‘Winging It’.

It’s his fifth tour, but he’s been away from touring for three years and he seemed happy to be back on stage.

And, he told the crowd, he was happy to be back in Wales.

He’s doing some dates in November but will return next month.

The rainy Wednesday night wasn’t quite a sell-out, but I defy anyone there to have not enjoyed themselves.

Bishop is a natural entertainer, nothing contrived, just a glimpse into the life of a dad, husband and mate who just gets it.

He had us in tears as he took us through the stories of his life now his kids have left home and his own descent into middle age.

This set centred around his recent big birthday, and life after 50. It didn’t matter whether you were in your 20s or 60s, there was plenty to laugh at.

He’s now a household name but told us his mates, as you’d expect, haven’t quite got used to his showbiz life and how they’re more than prepared to rip it out of him.

It’s probably thanks to them his ego hasn’t taken hold.

On stage he was relaxed, unsurprising given he’s been on the road a while but it didn’t feel scripted, it was the naturally funny tales of a genuinely nice fella.

He took down a heckler with ease, and while you got the feeling it was a comeback he’d used before, it was so good you didn’t mind.

There were plenty of jokes about Cardiff, and his observational comedy of life changing as you get older was spot on.

His set ended with a video montage of all the stories that had made up the gig.

You left with a genuine smile on face, sort of wishing you had the chance to sit and have a pint with him. But knowing if you did, you’d probably fall off your bar stool. Ruth Mosalski