Cognitive Behavioural Therapy helps Cork comedian to take on his first stand-up tour

He is, according to someone online who didn’t share his politics, “an embarrassment to Cork”, but in September the whole city will have the chance to come blush with him or blush at him as comedian Tadhg Hickey brings his first ever stand-up tour to town.

His political comedy sketches, including “Brexit, but it's a house share in Cork”, have amassed millions of views online, and much acclaim, as well as a sprinkling of death threats.

Last year he toured a sold-out run of his critically acclaimed play, “In One Eye, Out The Other”, but he has rarely ventured into stand-up, with anxiety preventing him from ever enjoying the experience.

“Frankly, I was too scared,” he said.

“I’d be up in my head worrying about the audience, doing their thinking for them. I didn’t enjoy gigs. The best feeling I could hope for was relief.

“But last year I did CBT [Cognitive Behavioural Therapy] and it’s been absolutely transformative. Now I’m like: Just get up and tell a few jokes bud, ‘it’s not that deep’ as my daughter says,” he added.

Tadhg Hickey: The Marxist Terrorist-Supporting Scumbag tour plays Cork Opera House on 28 September.