Comedians make more than footballers, pop stars and actors – but how?

Leaving school with one GCSE, and taking a number of menial jobs such as working in a toilet roll factory and a cash and carry, Peter Kay looked destined to a life of mediocrity. But 20 years later he’s a multi-millionaire raking in a cool £20.34 million last year alone from DVD and ticket sales from his sell-out ‘The Tour That Doesn’t Tour’ tour. That’s more than Victoria and David Beckham made in 2011.

Kay’s not alone in earning mega-bucks by making people laugh. A handful of top comedians have come along way from earning peanuts in backstreet comedy clubs to making millions selling out the country’s biggest venues.

Other top-earning comedians that appeared on a list of 2011 earnings compiled by the Sunday Times include Lee Evans (£12.9million), Alan Carr (£5.99million), John Bishop (£4.98million), Russell Howard (£3.26million) and Sarah Millican (£1.45million).

The list was compiled assuming comedians keep up to half of the box office takings and a third of the retail price from DVDs.

But if you’re thinking of switching careers to be the next Peter Kay or Victoria Wood, be aware that when you’re starting out you’ll be lucky to be paid at all. Even the heavily-heckled main act in a comedy gig in the backroom of a pub will only be paid about £30.


The rise and rise of funny money

Until fairly recently the big names didn’t earn life-changing amounts either. Up until the mid 1990s most comedians performed in small theatres rather than stadiums such as the O2. But in 1993 Rob Newman and David Baddiel sold out the 12,000 seat Wembley Arena and the tabloids proclaimed comedy the “new rock ‘n’ roll”.

After that TV comedians started packing out big venues with country-wide tours. Ticket sales and revenue from merchandise such as DVDs mean a handful of comedians earn more than well-known actors, musicians and football players.

A few big names are missing from the list of last year’s top comedy earners but that’s because the research only looked at tours and spin-off DVDs from 2011.

Michael McIntyre, for example, didn’t tour last year but kicks off his biggest ever tour this August. Tickets for the 100-date tour went on sale 18-months in advance, and are likely to earn him around £20million.

And that’s just for the live stand-up gigs. His family-friendly observational brand of comedy has already seen him sign a £2million book deal with Penguin for this autobiography Life & Laughing and earn about £2m from his DVD of the same name. He also received an estimated £250,000 fee for his role as a judge on Britain’s Got Talent.

It’s a far cry from his debt-ridden days which weren’t actually that long ago. As recently as 2005 he was £40,000 in debt, with no assets and struggling to repay loan and credit card companies. But by 2009 he was rich enough to back out of a private party for debt collectors at the last minute, forgoing his £28,000 fee, saying performing would have been against his principles.

That’s right, a fee of nearly £30,000 for one evening’s work, no wonder McIntyre’s laughing. Corporate gigs, hosting awards ceremonies, private parties and appearing on TV quiz or panel shows are other ways popular comedians can top-up their income.


Milking the laughter

Others just have the business sense to milk a good idea. Creator of ‘The Office’ Ricky Gervais is worth an estimated £32million according to the Sunday Times Rich List 2011. That’s the same amount ‘Twilight’ star Robert Pattison or philandering footballer Ryan Giggs are worth according to the same list, and more than double what pop star Cheryl Cole is estimated to be worth (£12million).

The King of Cringe acquired most of his wealth through the international success of The Office. Despite only running to two series in the UK, the mockumentary has run for eight seasons in the US so far with Gervais and creative partner Stephen Merchant earning about $50,000 an episode as executive producers.

Meanwhile Gervais has been busy with his 2009 UK tour Science which netted him about £1million and big gigs such as hosting the Golden Globes in the US. Now that’s something to laugh about.