Ray O’Leary recently pulled a man from a wrecked car and as the man lay dying, he used his last ounce of strength to ask Ray to tell his children that he loved them. Ray promised the man he would. But first, he has his most extensive ever UK and Ireland tour to complete. Armed with a suitcase of brilliantly offbeat observations and his increasingly celebrated laconic delivery – not to mention the trademark two-piece grey suit – this young old soul, philosophy graduate and fast-rising comic returns to our shores.

It is nearly already a sold-out run at the Soho Theatre, and his first forays to Sheffield, Dublin, Exeter and more alongside a clutch of towns where he’s already a familiar favourite. Though as he told me there is one lesson he has learned from previous tours. “For example in Australia I like to begin the show by saying “Hello Australia”. However, UK crowds almost never get this bit so I have had to drop it“

Ray was apparently destined to be a stand-up comedian, a destiny decided on before they had a chance to spot the superb talent UK audiences will discover when they attend a show on the tour. As a child I was pressed into stand-up comedy by my parents, who saw they could make a quick buck from audiences who enjoy a “kids say the darndest things” type routine. There is no love here. I dream of being a policy advisor for a local council. Someone save me.“

Policy adviser is an interesting choice of profession, a case of being the person who works with local or national politicians suggesting ideas (hopefully successful) a politician and stand up and “recycle” as being their own idea. I discovered Ray had found a way to pivot that skill to his stand-up routine. “I find that I draw my material from everyday moments in my life, such as, the everyday moment in my life of watching a Netflix special of a comedian much more famous than I, then writing down their jokes word for word and passing their ideas off as my own material. This always works and I recommend every single comedian do it”

At the moment Ray does not have the benefit of his own children to supply him with material, but it seems his relatives are keen to temporarily fill in the gap that creates! “Friends and family can be worried about being used for material, but the things they are worried about me using are almost never the things that I find interesting and may talk about. They generally enjoy being involved in my routines“

For your chance to grab a chance to see Ray as he continues his shambling ascent of the comedy ladder, please checkout his website And after that, he can go back to passing on that dying man’s message and so
on.