Comedian Hal Cruttenden is one of the big names set to star at this year’s Guildford Fringe Festival. Jane McGowan finds out more...
Hal Cruttenden is one of those comedians you may not immediately recognise by name, but just one glance at his big, beaming, bearded face is enough to jog the memory of this funnyman who has toured the circuit for almost two decades and become a popular guest on countless TV panel shows.
This month, the 50-year-old is one of the big names lined up as one the Gag House Comedy Superstars who will take to the stage at G Live as part of this year’s Guildford Fringe Festival.
Born in Ealing, West London in 1969, Hal whose sister is Not Going Out actress Abigail Cruttenden, had formal theatrical training at the Central School of Drama before finding his way on to the comedy circuit.
“I always wanted to be an actor,” he says. “I had a spell reading the traffic and travel on the BBC, but the desire to write and perform went right back. I sort of fell into stand-up. I was between jobs, which was quite a regular state for me and I just thought I’d give stand-up a go. I absolutely fell in love with it. I became obsessed with it and I still am.
“Yes, it’s terrifying to walk on stage but the hope that you might get a laugh is more than worth it.”
And while Hal had caught the comedy bug, success was still several years away: “I once played an hour-long set to seven people in Edinburgh. We actually got to know each other, we bonded and in the end, it was quite lovely.”
Hal persevered, and following two decades of solid graft, he now regularly tops the bill of shows such as Live at the Apollo and has appeared on The Royal Variety Performance and gigged at the Royal Albert Hall and the O2.
“The first time I appeared on Live at the Apollo was definitely one of my best gigs ever. I lay in bed that night and thought, ‘God, I am such a star’.”
However, his fame cuts no mustard at home where he is a dad to teenage daughters Grace and Martha. In fact, it was they who when asked to come up with a title for the name of his latest tour, suggested Chubster as “that’s how they see me”, he laments. Determined to do something about this view, Hal made a pledge to shed the image during the mammoth, 60+ date event.
“Oh actually, I have put weight on,” he admits sheepishly. “I try one diet after another but it doesn’t last. I just can’t do it. I was hoping to walk out on stage and have the audience wonder why the show is called what it is, but sadly, once I appear, I think it’s all too clear why.”
Perhaps unsurprisingly it was as a guest on Bake Off spin-off show Extra Slice, where Hal has picked up a lot of his newer fans.
“I loved doing that show. I am a massive Mary Berry fan. After my wife and kids she would be next in importance,” he laughs. “And Jo Brand is lovely. Actually, anyone associated with cake is pretty much perfect.
Despite his cuddly exterior and chatty delivery, a lot of Hal’s comedy is found in weightier subjects such as politics and death.
“At the moment, neither are very funny,” says the comedian who has made no secret of his anti-Brexit stance on Twitter. “I think the world is looking at us asking, ‘Why did they do that?’ Just like we are asking how America could elect Trump? In a way, it’s like other people’s marriages; only the people concerned really know what’s going on.
“I find as I get older, I get braver and my jokes get darker. Younger comedians can talk about getting drunk and whatever, but my comedy involves things I really care about which of course includes cake.” Quite right too.
You can see Hal Cruttenden at Gag House Comedy Superstars, G Live, Jun 28. visit: guildfordfringefestival.com