Des McLean is a Scottish stand-up comedian, actor, and a presenter for radio and television from Glasgow. Billy Connolly has cited McLean as his favourite comedian.
Comedy McLean started working in comedy in 2000, and was a finalist in both the BBC New Comedy Awards and the Channel 4 programme So You Think You’re Funny?. In 2002 McLean made his debut at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe with his one-man show Des McLean 5 Stars and appeared on the BBC series Live Floor Show. The following year he performed at the Glasgow International and New York comedy festivals.
While still hosting daily radio shows McLean starred as The Tin Man in the Glasgow Pavilion Theatre pantomime Wizard of Oz in 2008 and Jiminy Cricket in Pinocchio in 2009. His flair for more serious acting won him the lead role in the theatre drama Two Tales of Love and Loss.
McLean's live stand-up comedy DVDs became top sellers in Scotland, Live At Glasgow City Halls in 2007, Talkin' Aboot Live in 2009, and Is This The Way To Armadillo? in 2010, his stand-up show at The Clyde Auditorium was recorded as a television special for STV.
McLean left Radio Clyde in 2010 and has worked since on television as a presenter for The One Show on BBC One. He has also hosted various STV programmes including Hogmanay, The Hour and Too Good to Waste.
Streetcast, McLean's comedy podcast, has also received rave reviews and his many YouTube sketches have over a million views. In October 2011 McLean completed a tour of New Zealand playing venues such as The Vector Arena and Hawkes Bay Opera House.
In June 2013 McLean performed his stand up at the "Top of the Riv" in the iconic Riviera Hotel in Las Vegas.
In 2014 Des McLean announced a new nationwide tour and released a live DVD, Des Mclean's A-Z of Scotland. He then took the production on the road in 2015, including a tour of Canada.
2016 saw Des embark on a brand new stand up tour, simply titled Des McLean Live. Then extra dates were added and the tour was extended onto 2017.
In 2019 McLean took The Glasgow Trip: Stand Up Special on a nationwide comedy tour, with fellow comedian Gary Little.
2020 and the beginning of lockdown saw Des create Comedy Club in Your Front Room with Zoom, an innovative, online comedy show which ran up to Christmas 2022. It featured acts all over the world, and was regarded by many as the best digitally based comedy production in the UK.
In 2022 through 2024, Des hosted the Des McLean Comedy Stage at the music festival Party at the Palace.
Comedy Clubs As well as this, Des compères 9 recurring comedy clubs under the "Des McLean & Friends" brand. ShowsDateEast Kilbride Comedy Club (EK Sports Club)MonthlyComedy at the Corbie (Corbie Inn)MonthlyThe Comedy Sauna (Cafe Mariana)MonthlyFintry Comedy Tent (Fintry Inn)MonthlyComedy at Kippen (Inn at Kippen)Bi-monthlyMill & Brae Comedy (Mill & Brae Hotel)QuarterlyBroughty Ferry (Urban Beach at Glass Pavillion)QuarterlyComedy at the Crow (Crow Tavern)QuarterlyShotts Comedy Club (Marbles Club)Quarterly
Television +Show appearancesChannelTitleBBC OneLive Floor ShowBBC OneNew Comedy Awards FinalBBC OneThe One ShowBBC TwoThe Review ShowSTVIs This The Way To Armadillo?STVThe Late ShowSTVThe HourSTVToo Good To WasteSTVThe Hogmanay ShowSTVLive at FiveSTVToffee In My PocketSTVThe Night ShiftSTVThe STV Children's AppealSTVMy Life in 10 PicturesSTVPostcode ChallengeSTVThe BletherSTVScotland TodaySTVScotland TonightSTVThe Five Thirty ShowSTVJak and Eddie's Scottish KitchenSTVThe Riverside ShowSPPThe Glasgow Trip
The Glasgow Trip In 2017 Des created the online TV series The Glasgow Trip with fellow Glasgow comedian Gary Little. They recorded twelve episodes and in 2019 the show was nominated for best online comedy at the Scottish Comedy Awards. OverallNo. in seriesTitle11Roll With It22Health and Safety33Holding out for a Hero44Go West55Summer Special (part 1)66Summer Special (part 2)71The Big Break82Xmas Special93Back in the Game104Summer Special115Bodyguard126It's Happening Radio In 2005 McLean was sought by Radio Clyde to provide sketches for the Bowie at Breakfast programme on Clyde 1. He soon became the co-host on the breakfast show with George Bowie, with the two men winning Sony Radio Academy Awards in the Best Breakfast and Entertainment Categories. McLean recorded a series of wind-up telephone calls for the programme, fooling stars that included Sean Connery, Rod Stewart and Joan Rivers. The daily calls became a series of four top selling CD releases, The Best of The 8.10 Sketches. McLean went on to host his own comedy sketch shows Friday Night Comedy and Des McLean's Sunday Sketch. In 2020 Des joined Nation radio hosting the morning and weekend shows with Suzie McGuire. +ShowsStationTitleRadio ClydeBowie at BreakfastRadio ClydeDes McLean's Friday Night ComedyRadio ClydeDes McLean's Sunday SketchNation RadioSusie & Des Morning ShowNation RadioSusie & Des Weekend Show
Theatre
I, Tommy In January 2012 it was reported that McLean would be playing politician Tommy Sheridan, who was convicted of perjury during 2010, in a new play I, Tommy, written by Rab C. Nesbitt creator Ian Pattison. Mclean's performance as Sheridan achieved critical acclaim from both critics and leading actors. David Hayman on BBC2 Review show described Des' performance as "Extraordinary." The Times called it "Pitch Perfect" and The Scotsman "devastatingly accurate". The play was one of the most successful productions at The Edinburgh Fringe, and after a national tour of Scotland it finished the year at the Kings Theatre, Glasgow. There was a further run of I, Tommy in late 2013 in the Pavilion Theatre, Glasgow with Rosie Kane playing herself.
Bend it like Bertie Des, in addition to continuing to compere and perform at comedy clubs the length and breadth of Scotland, took to the stage to play the part of Lisbon Lion Bertie Auld in the hilarious and heartwarming play Bend it like Bertie at Websters Theatre in Glasgow. The show, written by Glasgow playwright Jim Orr, was such a hit with theatre goers it embarked on a 2022 Scottish National tour performing in various locations. After seeing Des midway through the tour, the Auld family presented Des with Bertie Auld's Lisbon Lion blazer.
In 2023, 'Bend it Like Bertie' played a smash-hit run at the Pavilion Theatre, Glasgow in February and Des returned to Las Vegas to perform the play at the iconic Westgate International Theater in June. In 2024 Bend it like Bertie returned to the same theatre. +ShowsDateVenue2 September 2021Websters Theatre, Glasgow3 September 2021Websters Theatre, Glasgow4 September 2021Websters Theatre, Glasgow4 September 2021Websters Theatre, Glasgow13 November 2021Beacon Arts Centre, Greenock24 May 2022Websters Theatre, Glasgow25 May 2022Websters Theatre, Glasgow26 May 2022Websters Theatre, Glasgow27 May 2022Motherwell Theatre, Motherwell29 May 2022Memorial Hall, Kilbarchan31 May 2022Corran Halls, Oban1 June 2022Whitehall Theatre, Dundee2 June 2022Regal Theatre, Bathgate3 June 2022Howden Park Centre, Livingston4 June 2022Eastwood Park Theatre, Giffnock5 June 2022Rothes Halls, Glenrothes8 June 2022Eden Court, Inverness9 June 2022Queens Hall, Dunoon10 June 2022FTH Theatre, Falkirk11 June 2022The Brunton, Musselburgh12 June 2022Tivoli Theatre, Aberdeen9 February 2023Pavilion Theatre, Glasgow10 February 2023Pavilion Theatre, Glasgow11 February 2023Pavilion Theatre, Glasgow11 February 2023Pavilion Theatre, Glasgow1 June 2023Grace's Irish Sports Bar, Glasgow6 June 2023Westgate Theater, Las Vegas15 July 2023Amharclann Gweedore Theatre, Ireland8 February 2024Pavilion Theatre, Glasgow9 February 2024Pavilion Theatre, Glasgow10 February 2024Pavilion Theatre, Glasgow10 February 2024Pavilion Theatre, Glasgow
And If You Know The History In 2025, Des played the lead role in the new Jim Orr production And If You Know The History. It follows the Fergus McCann take-over of the club in 1994, one of the darkest times in the clubs' history. The show premiered with a sell-out run in Websters Theatre, Glasgow.
Discography
DVD releases YearTitle2007Live at Glasgow City Halls2009Talkin' Aboot Live2010Is This The Way To Armadillo?2014Des McLean's A to Z of Scotland
CD releases
"Bolt Ya Rocket!" - Best of the 8:10 Sketches Vol. 1 (2007) #Track name1This is no ordinary call2Billy and the rapping granny3Ina half day on Tuesday4Educating Plunger5Paddy the ringmaster6Not a lot of people know this call7School's out for Ina8Don't call me Knobby9Santa Bawbag10Billy of the Rovers11Advance Ned Speak series 612Trunk Call13Ina's passage to India14Paddy's close encounter15Billy's super scoreboard16Plunge's Caribbean Carnival17Tommy talking tabloids18Paddy's directory dilemma19Plunge the wedding planner20A couple of knobs21Lee-Anne's labour of love22Paddy's das boot sale23Johnny Beattie's birthday bash
"Talkin' Aboot!" - Best of the 8:10 Sketches Vol. 2 (2008) #Track name1Billy and Rod Stewart2Plunge Limo3Paddy Catalogue4Tommy Crisis Loan5Louis and The MacDonald Brothers6Ina 10k7Plunge Vital Records8Billy and Joan Rivers part 19Billy and Joan Rivers part 210Paddy and Jack McPhee11Tommy Asda12Nobby Bookshop13Ina's Lost Keys14Plunge Buckfast Abbey15Billy and Melvyn Bragg16Louis This Is Your Life17Paddy Mole Screening18Tommy Bingo Caller19Billy Newspaper Interview20Ina Decking21Paddy Popcorn22Tommy Interview23Billy impersonator
"The Big Chap" - Best of the 8:10 Sketches Vol. 3 (2009) #Track name1Plunge Ned Bank2Billy & 0073Paddy Vending Machine4Wolfgang Toy Poodle5Ina 3 Legged dog6Ralph Britain's Got Talent7Plunge The Phone Hacker8Paddy Fart Dog Whistle9Wolfgang Reverse Call10Billy Chopper11Ina Unlucky 13th part112Ralph Shooting Sparrows13Ina Lucky 13th part 214Plunge Camp America15Wolfgang Crockery Crisis16Paddy Pussy Zapper17Billy On Last Parky18Plunge Valet19Wolfgang Burger King20Ralph Budgie Reverse Call21Ina Clock Change22Billy Parking Ticket23Wolfgang French Polisher24Paddy Hearing Glasses25Billy Rich List
"Hauf Day On a Tuesday" - Best of the 8:10 Sketches Vol. 4 (2010) #Track name1Ina call Mark2Plunge Ned Awards 20093Paddy and Mrs.Prentice4Jack Ferry and Son5Billy and Archie McPherson6Ina T in the Park Ticket7Plunge Jeremy Kyle8Craig Levein 1189Paddy Thomas Cook10Jack Ferry B and O11George Burley Dutch Interview12Gavin Strang Mall13Wolfgang Special K14Paddy Chatline15Plunge Mothers Day16Billy CNN USA17Ina The Night Garden18Paddy Post Box19Jack Ferry Travel Agent20Plunge Darth Vader Mask21Tommy and Smeato22Rab C X Factor23Ina Halloween Mask24Wolfgang Cuckoo Clock25Come Dine With Jack26Paddy Bingo Caller
Best of the 8:10 Sketches - Limited Edition Volumes 1 & 2 (2011) After McLean's 4 CDs were released, a special boxset was made compiling his first 2 CDs, including a total of 46 tracks.
Personal life McLean was brought up in the east-end of Glasgow and now lives in Robroyston with his wife Alison and son Harry.
References
External links Des McLean - official site Des McLean at IMDb