Jason Byrne's UK tour includes stop in Wrexham

Byrne, known for his high-energy stand-up, outrageous audience interactions, and inventive stunts, brings his latest show, Jason Byrne – 30 Years of Byrning, as part of his UK tour running from September 24 to November 20, including a stop at Wrexham's William Aston Hall, on October 24.

The show revisits some of Byrne’s most memorable moments from a career spanning three decades, though he’s keen to avoid simply repeating old material.

He said: "I’ve been putting together a kind of celebration show but I’m not doing old stand-up because that never works."

Instead, Byrne has involved fans in shaping the show by asking them to suggest which stunts they’d like to see again.

He said: "Tommy beat me by one point and he’s been my Edinburgh nemesis ever since."

The comedian first gained national attention as runner-up in the So You Think You’re Funny competition in 1996, where Tommy Tiernan took the top spot.

Byrne’s live performances have since become a staple of the comedy circuit, known for their unpredictability and audience participation.

The anniversary show opens with a video montage of career highlights and features stories of celebrity encounters and quirky personal moments.

In 1997, he famously gatecrashed a live recording of The Late Late Show with Gay Byrne to see Bill Murray, wearing his father’s clothes.

Byrne recalled his father’s reaction after seeing him on television.

He said: "He was like, ‘Ya eejit – I’ve just seen you on the telly in my tie. What are you doing?’"

The comedian also shared a story about meeting Dominic Holland in Edinburgh’s Cowgate, not realising that Holland’s son was Spider-Man actor Tom Holland.

He said: "I thought he meant his little kid was getting dressed up as Spider-Man for a party and said, ‘Oh, that’s nice. Fancy dress?’ To which Dominic replied, ‘No, you know my son is Spider-Man? He’s Tom Holland.’ And I went: ‘Whaaaat?’"

Byrne’s obliviousness to celebrity status has led to similarly entertaining encounters, including one with Lin-Manuel Miranda, creator of the global hit musical Hamilton.

He said: "I was like, ‘You serious?’"

The show also features stories involving Bono, Lady Gaga, and King Charles and Camilla, all delivered with Byrne’s trademark humour.

Audience participation remains a core part of his act.

He recalled one man who proposed to his girlfriend during a show, forgetting the ring.

Another time, an entire wedding party attended his Edinburgh gig, having booked tickets before realising it clashed with their big day.

Byrne said: "Heckling isn’t such a big thing any more.

"I welcome heckling, as long as it’s not a drunk ruining everyone’s night."

He credits his early career in the 1990s with teaching him how to handle tough crowds, particularly during his first time at Edinburgh’s notoriously rowdy Late’n’Live show.

Condensing 30 years of material into a single show proved a challenge, but Byrne said the longer format of the tour allows him to expand and improvise.

He said: "I’ll stick around for now.

"It’s not that bad a job, to be honest."