FAMILY:

NICK GILL (Brother and Executive Creative Director of BBH London):

‘I think Rich has created a whole new literary genre here. His comedy blog is not rounded enough to be called a ‘review’, not critical enough to be deemed a ‘critique’. One might describe A Rich Comic Life as an ‘enthuse’. His words reflect only love and respect for the brave heroes and heroines he writes about. He is a champion of all and a knocker of none and should be praised for the encouragement he gives back to the many who give so much.  Having listened to his interviews, Rich speaks with absolute authority – like an informed connoisseur – and is able to answer every question with a great historical anecdote. His love of comedy just shines through with so much affection and enthusiasm.’

FRIENDS:

IAN WOOD (Carlisle):

‘I’ve had the pleasure of being friends with Richard for nearly 50 years and it has been great to see the joy that he gets from his love of comedy. On trips to the [Edinburgh] Fringe seeing first-hand the warmth that the comics showed towards him was just rewards for the warmth and humour he shows himself to us all. All the luck in the world with your blog pal!’

IAN WILSHAW (London):

‘I have had the dubious pleasure of knowing Richard for over 15 years, including 4 glorious years sharing a flat with him. Two northerners together, searching for the meaning of life and enjoying all the entertainment that is on offer in London town! We started to see more comedy and eventually I joined him at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2008 and I haven’t missed one since. Richard plans a comprehensive Fringe itinerary for our stay – which never disappoints – due to his immense knowledge of the comedy circuit; not just established acts but also a sense of up and coming talent. Thank you Richard for sharing your passion and for many laughs over the years! Long may it continue!’

MARIA FREEMAN (London):

‘I have known Richard for over 20 years – we met at work, but soon gravitated to the pub and have had many a good night putting the world to rights. But only in the last few years have I had the opportunity to share his love of comedy when he persuaded me to come to the Edinburgh Fringe in 2014. I’ve been back every year since and this year – 2018 – I got to play the role as his official photographer, as he loves to meet the comedians after the show. His respect for their work is immense and his enthusiasm is genuine. He never has a bad word to say about any one. A Fringe experience curated by Richard involves the best of comedy, music and theatre. But a word of warning to the audience: if you sit next to Richard, beware, he rocks with enthusiasm, and laughs so loudly – which is why the comedians on stage can often hear his roar. What a legend!’

MARK DUQUENO (AKA ‘THE COMEDY NERD’) (Author of podcast Comedy In A Nutshell) (London):

‘I think I finally ran into Richard Gill at the Water Rats in North London in 2021, at one of Vix Leyton’s excellent Comedy Arcade panel shows.  Rich and I were well aware of each other’s comedy pedigree by then and despite being surrounded by Vix Leyton, Rich Wilson, Robin Ince and Robin Morgan, we spent most of the remainder of the evening chatting with each other.  Since then we’ve become firm friends in comedy and run into each other constantly, but now that we recognise each other, we can stop for a drink and a long dialogue about the exciting comedy we’ve seen since we last met.  His blog A Rich Comic Life in which he archives the many shows he has seen over the years, has been called ‘a rare and wonderful thing’ and it’s a pleasure to know someone who loves live comedy (almost) as much as I do.’

JULIAN GRIEVES (Cumbria):

‘I look forward to reading the blog every week from my old friend who has the loudest laugh on the comedy circuit!’

JO BATY (London / Cumbria):

‘I met Richard at Carlisle Technical College too many years ago! He hasn’t changed. He has had that bellowing voice and laugh for years and for me, he sums up everything which is brilliant about being Cumbrian. Richard is loud, straight-talking and lives life to the full, enjoying every minute and appreciating everyone around him. He is a tonic. Richard has always loved comedy – his head is a massive filing cabinet (no offence, not saying your head is rectangular!) of facts and stories and jokes and hence his Blog came as no surprise – it had to happen!’

GUILHERME SOUZA (London previous work colleague):

‘I have known and worked with Richard Gill for a number of years. He used to hold legendary quiz nights for the staff, and I was once invited along to one. It was then that I saw a different side to Richard. The administrator had turned into an entertainer. And a fine one at that! Everyone had a great night and, better still, all the money went to charity. Little I knew then that Richard had been doing the quiz for years, bringing friends together and had also been raising thousands of pounds doing different things for Comic Relief in the process. And that for me is a portrait of Richard. He is someone who loves his comedy, but above all someone who uses comedy to make the lives of everyone around him that little bit better. Be it to break the ice and make a new friend, to collect money for a good cause or simply to put a smile on the face of a colleague who is having a hard day. So, for me it does not come as a surprise that he has become arguably one of the most popular members of an audience on the comedy circuit. He’s seen all comedians great and small, he is the nicest bloke you can meet and I’ve heard he can even sing Bon Jovi… very badly, by all accounts. But that is beside the point because I think he is a true legend! And I am happy to work with such a great character every day.’

JAN SWANTON (Ipswich):

‘I think Rich’s blog is magical and unique.’

STEVE PLANT (Verwood, Dorset):

‘[I am] amazed (but not surprised) at the amount of comedy Richard has already seen since the start of 2018! Richard is a true legend and a devotee of the art form and his breadth of knowledge of the comedy scene over the years and anecdotes are extraordinary.’

TAMSIN STEPHENS (London):

‘Rich’s enthusiasm for comedy is all pervasive. Going to a gig with him is a truly immersive journey into his love bubble of all things comedic. His dedication to the genera is just epic – he knows everyone and everything on the topic past and present it seems, and his appetite to gather more insights is insatiable! It’s a joy to join him at a show and journey with him on his great adventure of comic discovery!’

HEMA SELVAKANDHAN (Kingston Upon Thames previous flatmate):

‘I’ve known Richard for over a year now, and he’s truly one of the most uplifting people I’ve met. Always full of energy, enthusiasm, and good vibes—he never keeps it to himself, and that’s what makes him such a joy to be around.  What I really admire about Richard is his passion for life. He lives it with so much optimism and kindness, and it’s contagious. It’s rare to find someone who takes both their work and their passions seriously, but he does it effortlessly—juggling his administrator role and his love for comedy like a pro. It’s something I’ve always found inspiring and genuinely fascinating.  Wishing you nothing but the best, Richard! May you keep doing what you love and enjoy every bit of it.  Good luck , Richard!’

JOHN CONWAY (London):

‘Just like to say that I think this blog is excellent and really going from strength to strength.’

LEWIS SPEDDING (Carlisle):

‘I have known Richard socially since around early 2004 and over the years I have so appreciated and admired his zest and passion for comedy and live theatre. I wish I was able to see more of him as he lights up any room with his love for all things comedy past and present. We talk and laugh for long periods together and Richard inspires laughter in us all. Bravo Richard, and I echo the sentiments from all those comedians in your blog, thanks a million for your laughs!!’

DAVID JAMES (Carlisle):

‘The remarkable thing about this blog is that it features so many comedians I’ve never heard of.’