Jon Richardson in Conversation: The Teenage Diaries of a Stand-Up Comedian

Jon Richardson is at City Varieties Music Hall on Saturday 24 October, talking through his memoir The Teenage Diaries of a Stand-Up Comedian. It's a conversation rather than a stand-up set, and he'll be joined by a special guest.

The book is a look back at his younger self, a boy growing up in an era when Oasis dominated the charts and Baywatch dominated his imagination. He revisits the moments that shaped him, from the mortifying teenage misadventures—like a PE lesson involving a climbing rope—to the small but significant triumphs, such as earning a pack of Chewits for the cleanest tent at scout camp. It's the story of the path that eventually led him to comedy.

Richardson is well known as a team captain on Channel 4's 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown, and his earlier career includes an Edinburgh Fringe nomination and winning best breakthrough act at the 2008 Chortle Awards. The memoir itself has been described as "whip-smart comedy" by GQ and "a wildly funny whinge of volcanic frustrations" by The Guardian.

The session starts at 1:00pm and runs for about an hour and 45 minutes, including an interval. Tickets are £39, which includes a £2.50 booking fee. Boxes are £42 per person and can be booked by phone on 0113 243 0808. The venue is City Varieties Music Hall on Swan Street, Leeds LS1 6LW.