'I can buy my freedom'

Lee Evans is considering quitting stand-up.

The comic, who turns 50 next year, says his success means he can buy his ‘freedom’ from performing – and that he’d like to spend more time on his hobby, painting.

Evans has always turned down adverts and movies if he didn’t want to do them, regardless of the pay cheque, and says wants to stop performing stand-up before he comes to dislike it.

‘My ambition isn’t just to be successful in showbusiness – it’s to be a successful person,’ he said in an interview today. ‘I want to be Lee.

He added: ‘I do a lot of painting. I might step back and just paint... I’d hate to be one of these comedians who still put on the suit but you can see the smile dropping – you can see they’re unhappy.’

He certainly has a comfortable pension fund. His last tour, 2011’s Roadrunner, grossed £13million and he is back on the road next year with Monsters, which will play 57 arena dates.

‘The one thing you can do if you’ve earned a few bob is buy your freedom,’ Evans told the Daily Telegraph.

‘For years my wife and I thought that someone was going to knock on the door and go, “You two – out!” We didn’t think we deserved our house. But no, we’ve done enough. In my head I’m going, “I’ve been subservient all my life and tried not to upset anyone and been polite and called people sir. I’ve earned my freedom.”’

Evans also criticised younger comedians for putting too much emphasis on becoming a success rather than being funny. ‘My generation were interested in the art of comedy – not in a career,’ he said.

And he added: ‘No one wants to do something different – “If we do what happened last time it will work.” Everything needs to be beige.’

Evans was speaking to promote his role in the new West End comedy Barking In Essex.

Published: 2 Sep 2013