Familiar for a generation as a hapless priest in Father Ted, Ardal O’Hanlon needs little introduction. But there is far more to the comic than that.
Aside from leading roles in shows such as Death In Paradise and My Hero, he has popped up on Taskmaster, Would I Lie To You? and Derry Girls … but he is also a comedian.
And in 2025, he is going back on the road with an all-new show, packed with the very latest gags.
Not Himself will see Ardal take audiences on a thought-provoking journey following an alarming experience at the supermarket.
He will examine his identity as a man and a comedian, reflecting on everything from his own ethnic and religious background to the joys and follies of contemporary life.
Not Himself,e he says, is a testament to the healing power of humour, touched with life enhancing observations and unexpected twists
With no major trauma of his own to draw on for material, apart from the drag of getting older, this new show sees Ardal turn his gaze outwards at the joys and follies of contemporary life, with no current idiocy left unexamined.
Towel Animals? A.I.? Chair Yoga? Cauliflower as a main course?
Yes. Yes. Yes. And Yes.
Join Ardal as he navigates the ridiculousness of our times, reminding us all to find laughter amidst life’s chaos.
“The itch is back,” Ardal says. “I can’t put it off any longer.
“The joy and excitement of live touring. The venting opportunities.
“Please do come along if you’re free to my most personal show yet.”
A founding father of Dublin’s contemporary comedy scene, he moved to London where he won the Hackney Empire New Act of the Year and was soon catapulted into the world of sitcoms.
Despite that distraction, he continues to tour his punchy but absurdist life-enhancing comedy worldwide.
As well as appearing at the major festivals – Montreal, Edinburgh, Melbourne – he presented The Stand Up Show on BBC for three series. He featured on the first series of Live At The Apollo, as well as the latest, and Michael Mcintyre’s Roadshow not to mention his own Dave’s One Night Stand and a half-hour special for Comedy Central USA, the first overseas act to do so.
He has also appeared on the likes of The Graham Norton Show but tries to preserve his dignity by avoiding panel shows and reality shows … well, most of them anyway.
As well as Father Ted, for which he won a British Comedy Award and Bafta nominations, Ardal’s acting credits include leading roles in Death in Paradise (BBC), My Hero (BBC), Derry Girls (C4), Big Bad World (ITV), Blessed (BBC) and the RTE sitcom Val Falvey Td. He was also seen in After Hours (SKY) and briefly in Cucumber (C4). On top of that he once played a cat creature in Doctor Who (BBC), a Dad in London Irish (C4) and a seedy teacher in Skins (C4).
Ardal has written and presented a number of documentaries including the celebrated LEAGUES APART (about great footballing rivalries in Europe), Guess Who’s Dead, and Holy F*** all for Irish broadcaster RTE, Tree of the Year (C4), Showbands (BBC) and Ireland with Ardal O’Hanlon (More 4).
His forays into theatre include God Of Carnage (Gate Theatre) and The Weir (West End) for which he received a nomination for an Olivier Award. He has written an acclaimed bestselling novel, The Talk Of The Town, which was included in 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die and in 2022 released his second novel, Brouhaha.
He will be in Reading on Thursday, October 16, 2025, from 8pm.
Tickets for The Hexagon show cost £29.50 each, and the show is for ages 16 upwards.
For more details, or to book, call the Reading Arts box office on 0118 960 6060 or log on to whatsonreading.com
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