Kevin Bridges: What's the Story?

Lore & Background

Kevin Bridges: What's the Story? is a six-part BBC One series that began on 8 February 2012. The series was based on his stand-up routines, reflecting the comedic style and material that had made him a popular live performer. This television project came after Bridges had already established himself through appearances on panel shows such as Would I Lie to You?, Have I Got News for You, and performances on Live at the Apollo and Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow.

Reader's Guide

The series Kevin Bridges: What's the Story? represents a key moment in Bridges' career, bridging his live stand-up success with a broader television audience. It aired on BBC One, a major UK network, and was built directly from his stage work, showcasing his observational humor and Scottish perspective. While the article does not provide critical reception or ratings, the series' existence underscores Bridges' growing profile in the early 2010s. His subsequent television specials, including Live At The Commonwealth and Live at the Referendum in 2014, continued this trajectory, though the article does not link them directly to this series. The show remains a notable entry in his filmography as his first named television series.

Did You Know?

• The series began on 8 February 2012 on BBC One.
• It was based on Bridges' stand-up routines.
• The series consisted of six parts.
• Bridges had previously appeared on panel shows such as Would I Lie to You? and Have I Got News for You.

From Glasgow Gigs to National Headliner

Kevin Bridges first stepped onto a comedy stage shortly after turning seventeen, having just left school. Inspired by reading Frank Skinner's autobiography, he began performing at The Stand Comedy Club in his hometown of Glasgow before spreading his act across the UK. By eighteen, he had reached the final of Channel 5's So You Think You're Funny at the Edinburgh Fringe. In 2006, he delivered his first full-length solo show at the Glasgow International Comedy Festival to a sold-out crowd and strong critical praise. The momentum was relentless: he sold out his hometown festival three consecutive years from 2007 to 2009, performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in both 2008 and 2009, and earned a best newcomer nomination at the Edinburgh Comedy Awards. His 2010 debut DVD, filmed at Glasgow's SECC, went on to shift over 350,000 copies, cementing his status as a rising force in British comedy.

Record-Breaking Tours & Industry Firsts

Bridges's touring career produced a string of commercial milestones that redefined what a solo comedian could achieve in the UK. His 2012 tour, The Story Continues, shattered box office records by selling over 45,000 tickets on the very first day and filling the SECC five times across 136 dates. Three years later, A Whole Different Story pushed further, moving more than 500,000 tickets across 145 performances, including sixteen sold-out nights at The Hydro in Glasgow. The accompanying DVD outsold releases by Michael McIntyre and John Bishop, moving over 300,000 copies with 40,000 in its opening week alone. His 2018 return, The Brand New Tour, set yet another benchmark with a record nineteen sold-out nights at The Hydro and forty-six shows across the SEC Centre and The Hydro. He became the first comedian ever to top Ticketmaster's annual customer-voted poll for the UK's Ticket of the Year, and he has sold more tickets for the Scottish Event Campus than any other solo artist in its history.

Television, Radio & Mainstream Crossover

Bridges's path to mainstream television began on Comedy Central UK in April 2008 with a set on The World Stands Up, followed by appearances on Comedy Store. His big break came on 5 June 2009 when BBC One's Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow gave him a national platform; over five million viewers tuned in, and his entire 25-night Edinburgh run sold out within hours, prompting additional dates. He went on to appear on Live at the Apollo, 8 out of 10 Cats, Mock the Week, Would I Lie to You?, and Friday Night with Jonathan Ross. In 2012, BBC One commissioned his six-part series Kevin Bridges: What's the Story?, adapted from his stand-up material. That same year he was asked to join I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here but declined. In 2014, he hosted three BBC One specials at Glasgow's Theatre Royal, including Live at the Commonwealth and Live at the Referendum, the latter exploring the Scottish independence vote. On radio, he competed on BBC Radio 5 Live's Fighting Talk in 2010, finishing second behind Greg Brady as the youngest contestant at the time, and also appeared on BBC Radio 4's The Unbelievable Truth.

Roots, Rest & Renewal

Born on 13 November 1986 to Andy and Patricia Bridges, Kevin grew up in the Hardgate area of Clydebank, attending St Mary's Primary and St Columba's High, where a teacher was the mother of fellow comedian John McGinn. He has a brother, John, ten years his senior. After the grueling 145-night A Whole Different Story tour in 2015, Bridges felt deeply disillusioned with stand-up. A conversation with his father helped him decide to step away entirely. He moved to Spain, and the freedom of that break ultimately rekindled his desire to perform. Upon returning, he tested new material at a handful of unannounced work-in-progress gigs before launching The Brand New Tour in 2018. In 2019 he married Kerry Monaghan, and in December 2022 he announced the birth of his first child, a son born that May. The sabbatical, far from ending his career, proved to be the catalyst for his most commercially successful run yet.