...and become a serious actor

Ed Byrne is to write a sitcom based on his previous job working in a student union.

The comic says he's going to give live work a rest after his current tour, which has been attracting disappointing audiences.

He says he also wants to develop a movie career, moving into serious acting.

Byrne is currently in the middle of a mammoth national tour of more than 100 venues, which ends in April. (Dates)

But he admits his TV exposure isn't helping him at the box office - because his appearances have been too far removed from stand-up to translated into ticket sales.

"You can get yourself exposure on Blankey Blank or Big Brother's Little Brother," he told London's Time Out magazine, "but that doesn't sell tickets. Not unless you're doing stand-up on television. Not unless you are doing the jokes."

He added that he is now willing to perform extracts of his material in interviews - something he was loathe to give away before.

"Nobody is going to decide to come and see you because of where you went to college and all the other stuff you chat about in interviews.

"That reminds people of who you are if they've already seen you perform. But people aren't going to take the risk if you haven't."

Published: 10 Dec 2002