Izzard announces UK tour dates

Eddie Izzard has announced the British tour dates of his 2003 tour, Sexie.

The gigs kick off in Brighton on June 6 and encompasses Birmingham, Sheffield, Newcastle, Glasgow and Manchester, among others.

This will be his first live tour since Circle in 1999 and ends with two dates at Wembley Arena on December 22 and 23.

Only Newman and Baddiel and Lee Evans have filled the 11,000-seater venues with their own comedy shows before, but Izzard is no stranger to the cavernous venue, hosting the We Know Where You Live benefit for Amnest International there two years ago.

Izzard has also announced a couple of intimate warm-up gig before embarking on his tour, which will also visit the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand before coming to the UK.

He will perform at the Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, on July 7 and in front of just 300 people at the Colchester Arts Centre on July 8.

But to get the £10 tickets, fans will have to queue up outside the Essex venue ready for when booking opens at noon on July 5 - and produce two ticket stubs for other shows at the venue.

A spokesman for the arts centre told the East Anglia Daily Times: "He doesn't do venues this small at all now. It is a very special warm up gig before he goes off down to Edinburgh."

However, Izzard is not performing "up" in Edinburgh this year.

"If ever proof were needed of the arts centre's reputation for hosting tomorrow's big stars today, this is it."

Click here for the full UK schedule.

To buy tickets

Published: 17 Jun 2003