Gary Little (comedian)
Gary Little | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1964 Glasgow, Scotland |
| Died | (aged 61) near Morvich, Scotland |
| Comedy career | |
| Years active | 2003–2025 |
| Medium | Stand-up |
| Subjects | |
Gary Little (1964 – 15 August 2025) was a Scottish comedian. Described as one of Scotland's finest comedians[1] and as a "leading light"[2] and "literal giant"[3] of the Scottish comedy scene,[2] Little was a regular headliner at many of the top comedy clubs in the UK.[4] He was a fixture at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, where he performed regularly.[5]
Career
Little began performing comedy in 2003, when he became a finalist in a competition by The Stand Comedy Club and The Daily Record.[6] He performed regularly at the Glasgow International Comedy Festival and the Edinburgh Fringe,[7] where in 2005 he performed his first one man show.[6]
In 2010, he performed at the Breakneck Comedy Club, on King Street, Aberdeen.[8] In 2016, together with the radio presenter Julia Sutherland, Little co-wrote and presented the show "Jail Mates" on BBC. Inspired by real life events, the fictional comedy show was about a convict and the woman who writes to him in prison.[9] In 2017, he took his show to Australia and performed at the Perth Fringe. In 2018, he performed at the Adelaide Fringe.[4] Also in 2018, he performed at the Scottish Comedy Festival with the show "Big Mouth".[10] In 2022, he performed at The Beehive Inn at the Grassmarket.[11] In 2024, Little created a four part stand-up series for BBC Radio 4, titled "Gary Little: At Large", the series offered a "hilarious perspective of life before, behind, and beyond bars".[12] A performance in late July 2025 at the Number 57 Pub Company in Dundee was one of his final gigs.[13]
Little also performed internationally, at venues in the UAE, Canada, Thailand and the US (especially at the New York Comedy Festival).[11]
Style
Little's stand-up shows tackled themes of mental health and addiction and in his material, he often drew from his controversial personal experiences, including his time in prison.[7]
Personal life and death
Little was born in 1964.[14] He was from Springburn,[7] and grew up in Maryhill.[15] In 1994, he was imprisoned at Barlinnie for an ecstasy dealing charge,[16] being released after serving four years out of an eight year sentence.[17] After his release in 1999, Little started working as a forklift truck driver at the HarperCollins warehouse in Bishopbriggs.[17] In 2007, he was jailed for 27 months for stealing books from the warehouse.[18]
Little died on 15 August 2025, at the age of 61.[19] He had been hillwalking on the Five Sisters of Kintail trail, when he was killed as the result of a fall.[20]
Philanthropy
Little was a volunteer for the Scottish charity MCR Pathways, where he mentored three people from Whitehill Secondary School and All Saints Secondary School.[21]
In September 2023, Little performed at the Cruden Hall in Greenock as part of a fundraiser for the Inverclyde charity Inverclyde Faith in Throughcare.[22]
Awards
In 2014, Little became the inaugural winner of the Best Headline and Show Award of the Scottish Comedy Awards.[16]
References
- ^ "Death announced of Scottish comedian Gary Little". RTÉ. 16 August 2025. Retrieved 22 August 2025.
- ^ a b McKay, Gabriel (15 August 2025). "'Absolute powerhouse': Tributes paid as Scots comic Gary Little dies". The Herald. Retrieved 22 August 2025.
- ^ Pollock, Chiara (17 August 2025). "Heartfelt tributes paid to Glasgow comedian Gary Little after tragic death". Glasgow Live. Retrieved 22 August 2025.
- ^ a b "Gary Little | Breakneck Comedy Club Comedian". Breakneck Comedy. Retrieved 22 August 2025.
- ^ Beattie, Eve (15 August 2025). "Scots comedian Gary Little dies as tributes flood in for 'wonderful man'". Daily Record. Retrieved 22 August 2025.
- ^ a b Bennett, Steve (15 August 2025). "Tributes paid to Scottish comedian Gary Little". Chortle. Retrieved 22 August 2025.
- ^ a b c "Gary Little: Shock as 'powerhouse' Scottish comedian dies". BBC News. 15 August 2025. Retrieved 22 August 2025.
- ^ Fleming, Graham (15 August 2025). "Aberdeen comedy club pays heartfelt tribute as star dies months before Granite City show". The Press and Journal. Retrieved 22 August 2025.
- ^ Brown, Annie (13 May 2016). "Jailbird comedian Gary Little on life behind bars and learning to laugh about it". Daily Record. Retrieved 22 August 2025.
- ^ Dessau, Bruce (15 August 2025). "Comedian Gary Little Has Died". Beyond The Joke. Retrieved 22 August 2025.
- ^ a b "Gary Little". SpeakOut. Retrieved 22 August 2025.
- ^ Bashforth, Emily (15 August 2025). "Beloved Scottish comedian Gary Little dies aged 61". Metro. Retrieved 22 August 2025.
- ^ Scarlett, Lucy (15 August 2025). "Tributes to comedian Gary Little, 61, who has died just 2 weeks after Dundee gig". The Courier. Retrieved 22 August 2025.
- ^ "Gary Little". All Gigs. Retrieved 22 August 2025.
- ^ Richardson, Jay. "Comedy Review: Gary Little". The List. Retrieved 22 August 2025.
- ^ a b Brown, Annie (4 April 2014). "Scots comic Gary Little on becoming popular stand-up star and why he's putting depression and jail time behind him". Daily Record. Retrieved 22 August 2025.
- ^ a b "Scottish comedian Gary Little dies aged 61 in climbing accident". Upday. 15 August 2025. Retrieved 22 August 2025.
- ^ "Gary Little: from crime to comedy". The Herald. 5 August 2018. Retrieved 22 August 2025 – via PressReader.
- ^ MacKenzie, Hector (21 August 2025). "Heartfelt response to sister's rescue team fundraiser for comedian Gary Little after his death on Ross-shire mountain". Ross-shire Journal. Retrieved 23 August 2025.
- ^ McTavish, Vladimir (23 August 2025). "Summit Funny gig fitting tribute to a giant of Scottish comedy". Edinburgh News. Retrieved 23 August 2025.
- ^ "Passionate MCR Pathways Mentor, and powerhouse Scottish comedian Gary Little passes away". MCR Pathways. August 2025. Retrieved 22 August 2025.
- ^ Young, Claire Amber (1 September 2023). "Popular Scottish comedian heading for Greenock to help out Inverclyde charity". Greenock Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 22 August 2025.