Bridges’ show revealed as UK’S most wanted ticket in 2018
Scotland’s Kevin Bridges has been named the UK’S Ticket of the Year 2018 – the first comedian to scoop the prestigious award.
Ticketmaster, the ticket sales company which provides 500 million tickets to fans across 29 countries, announced Bridges and his Brand New tour had taken the top spot following their poll of live entertainment fans globally from it 200 million database.
South Korean boyband BTS takes the crown globally for Ticket of the Year 2018, whilst the musical Hamilton is the UK’S favourite theatre show.
Also in the UK top six, after Bridges and Hamilton, are Ed Sheeran at Wembley stadium, Taylor Swift at Wembley stadium, and Sheeran at Hampden Park.
Bridges’ sold-out Brand New tour won the accolade for his live show at the SSE Hydro.
His recent tour earned him the ‘Gie It Laldy’ award from the Glasgow arena, recognis-
KEVIN BRIDGES ing his contribution to the live event industry, having sold more tickets to the venue than any other solo artist.
Bridges, 32 – who last year was chosen to perform before former US president Barack Obama at the Hunter Foundation charity dinner in Edinburgh – said: “Thank you to everybody who came out to see me live this year and a very special thank you to those who went as far as voting for me as their favourite show of the year.
“It’s been a while since the result of a vote has made me happy. You have restored my faith in democracy. Thank you all and see you another time.”
Born in Clydebank, West Dunbartonshire, Bridges performed his first live gig at age 17 after leaving school and then moved to The Stand Comedy Club in Glasgow.
A year later he reached the final of Chanel 5’s So You Think You’re Funny contest at the Edinburgh Fringe. When he was 22 he made his debut on BBC One appearing on Michael Mcintyre’s Comedy Roadshow and has since seen his shows sell out during Edinburgh Fringe runs.
Bridges has revealed he joked with Mr Obama about Donald Trump and his golf courses.
“I joked that he should’ve gone to one of Trump’s courses. I said he could have brought his cans of beer, got the shirt off and started hacking up the fairways like old school, working-class golf. It was good, he enjoyed it.”
But earlier this year he said that three years ago, after completing his third arena tour, he had felt burned out and was near to quitting the business.
“I just felt a bit unhappy. I had stopped enjoying it, to be honest. You don’t want to be the guy who’s annoying people. I don’t want to be on the telly all the time.”
However, Bridges admitted that after taking a few months out and reading self-help books – which he said did not help – he realised he missed performing his shows, including the nerves, and returned to the fray.
“It’s been a while since the result of a vote has made me happy. You have restored my faith in democracy. Thank you all and see you another time”