Freddie: I'm quitting comedy

Freddie Starr is planning to quit comedy, saying he wants to leave before he looks ‘pathetic’.

The 61-year-old comic, famous supposedly eating a hamster in a PR stunt, is set to quit performing as early as next year after 40 years in the business.

Promoting his current run of live dates, he told a local newspaper in Croydon, South London: “The business has changed. I might retire next year as I don't think you should stay for ego's sake.”

“I've been so lucky and it's best to leave before you look pathetic," he thinks.

And in another interview with the Wolverhampton Express and Star the comic, known for dressing as a Nazi on stage, added: “It is just a job to me, I'll maybe do a couple more years and then pack it in.

"I just want to lead a normal kind of life now because when you get older you look back and say what has it been worth and what have I achieved and what has it cost me?"

Ex-alcoholic Starr – who was recently voted joint 20th funniest Briton with Eddie Izzard by Readers’ Digest - is notoriously bitter towards the generation of comics that succeeded him.

In his autobiography, he slammed Harry Hill  as being a 'visitor from the furthest planet from ours, called  Notveryfuckingfunny'.

And the comic, real name Frederick Fowell, once immodestly said: "How many  physically funny men can walk on stage and not say a word for ten minutes and get a laugh? Only one person - Freddie Starr.”

Published: 13 May 2005