Former adman Jeffrey Stark took to stand-up to liven up retirement

Comedian Jeffrey Stark is making his Edinburgh Fringe debut – at the age of 81.

The former adman started performing at open mic nights at his local pub in Putney, South West London, four tears ago, saying he realised he needed more from retirement than ‘watching Cash In The Attic all day wearing a beige cardigan’.

Now he will debut his first hour-long show – Old Fart, Gassing – at Greenside@George Street for two weeks from August 12.

Stark, from Stirlingshire, started advertising career at electrical retailer Curry’s, and has worked for Saatchi & Saatchi, where he rose to creative director, as well as his own company Hedger Mitchell Stark agency, where his work included the Paul Hogan series of adverts for Fosters lager.

In the mid-1980s he quit the advertising industry to to fulfil his lifelong ambition of sailing his small yacht around the world. Half way around, in Tonga, he got bored and returned to London to ‘fulfil his other lifelong ambition’ directing commercials. He shot ads for the likes of British Airways and Adidas, working with the likes of  Helen Mirren, Joan Collins, Terrence Stamp, Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie, Ronnie Barker and Graham Norton, Jahn Hannah and Malcolm McLaren.

Outside the advertising arena, his short film Desserts starring Ewan McGregor,  won a Silver Bear at the 199 Berlin Film Festival.

Of his Fringe debut, he says: ‘I am fully continent, but concerned that I might shit myself on August 12.  However, if I don’t do this now while I have my marbles I might never get around to performing at the Edinburgh Fringe and fulfilling my third ambition to win this year’s best newcomer at the Comedy Awards.’

Here’s some of his work: 

Published: 25 Jun 2024