The London-born stand-up comic spent some good time away from the scene after his last tour, but what people want to know is what happened to Micky Flanagan? Find out about his career here and why he went away for some time.

Last Updated: 21/03/23 at 11:08 am

Micky Flanagan is one of the most well-known and beloved comedians in the UK. He is known for his unique brand of humour, which often involves stories about his upbringing in East London.

Over the years, Flanagan has become a household name, and his fans are always eager to know what he is up to next.

But after taking some time away after his last tour, many people have been asking the same question; what happened to Micky Flanagan?

Here, we will take a closer look at Micky Flanagan’s career to date, including his early life, rise to fame, successes, and what he will be getting up to.

Early life, career and his rise to fame

Micky Flanagan was born in Bethnal Green, East London, in 1962. He grew up in a working-class family and left school at the age of 15 with no qualifications to work as a fishmonger, which he also didn’t stick with for long.

Flanagan worked multiple jobs over the years to pay the bills including a kitchen porter, a furniture maker, and he's also a trained teacher, although he never pursued a career in the field.

He did go back to school himself to gain his qualifications, getting some GCSE’s and studying a foundation course in arts and social sciences and a degree at City University at the age of 29.

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Flanagan started off in the world of comedy in the 1990s when he took a comedy course in 1996 and began performing at local comedy clubs.

He quickly gained a reputation for his unique brand of humor, which often centered on his working-class upbringing and his experiences in the East End of London.

In the early 2000s, Flanagan’s career began to take off. He appeared on a number of popular TV shows, including ‘The Comedy Store’ and ‘The 11 O’Clock Show’.

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In 2006 he performed his first full-length solo show titled ‘What Chance Change?’ A year later, he was nominated for the Best Newcomer award at the prestigious Edinburgh Comedy Awards.

Flanagan’s big break came in 2009 when he appeared on ‘Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow’. The show was a huge success, and Flanagan’s performance was particularly well-received.

His show-stealing performance on the show led to a number of other TV appearances, including ‘Live at the Apollo and Mock the Week’, where he would feature regularly as a panelist.

Mainstream success, tours & year-long break

2010 was the start of his soon-to-be bustling career, as he would embark on his first nationwide tour, ‘The Out Out Tour’.

The tour, named after his famous joke made popular during his appearance on the ‘Comedy Roadshow’, proved immensely popular with fans as it ended up selling out at every venue he went to. It eventually ended in 2011.

Now as a star on the British comedy scene, Flanagan’s stock had risen to celebrity status, where he was appearing on shows such as ‘The Graham Norton Show’, where he would have the pleasure of sharing the iconic red sofa with some of Hollywood’s biggest stars.

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The appearance on the show in 2013 was to promote his second nationwide tour, ‘Back in the Game’. Once again, Flanagan was at full power, performing to more sold-out venues and producing even more instant classic jokes.

In 2015, the cockney comedian decided to take the year off from performing and stayed away from the spotlight. He later revealed this was due to pressure and a need to process.

However, he returned and quickly got back into things, as he announced a new tour in 2017, named ‘An Another Fing’.

This tour would end up being one of the biggest the UK had ever seen. He sold out every venue once again, but bear in mind that this time he was playing to some of the nation's biggest arenas.

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It was the biggest comedy event of 2017, playing to over 600,000 people across the UK and Ireland, breaking box office records nearly everywhere he went.

One of the sets was filmed and used for his later-released DVD. The set chosen was from one of his sold-out shows at the London O2 Arena. He performed 11 sold-out shows here, and considering the venue has a capacity of 20,000, you can see just how popular he was (and still is).

One thing he did on the show released to DVD was explaining to the audience ‘where he is at’ following his year off.

Flanagan has since found his place in the comedy scene, not performing as much to focus on living a family life. He did have a show in 2019 named ‘Micky Flanagan’s Detour de France’, which saw him cycle around the country.

Return to stand-up

After seemingly disappearing once again for the most part, Micky Flanagan started to reappear at small venues around the country in 2022, performing work-in-progress shows.

In the comedy world, when a comedian is performing work-in-progress shows, they are workshopping new material to smaller audiences, usually with the end goal of being used in a brand new tour.

That is exactly the case with Flanagan, as he announced in February 2023 that he will be going on tour once again later this year. He joins the likes of Peter Kay and Michael McIntyre as top comedians returning to stand-up this year.

The announcement came with the release of tickets to five shows that seem to be the last work-in-progress - two in Manchester and three in London. All the shows sold-out within the day.

Flanagan’s stock is evidently still so high in Britain, with the comedian’s fans begging for his return to stand-up for a long time now. Finally, he will be coming back, and it is expected to be the biggest event in British comedy again this year.

People who saw his work-in-progress shows came away reeling from how he has still very much got it. Now, many more people will get to experience the cockney comedian in his full glory later in 2023.

Micky Flanagan tour tickets

It should go without saying at this point, but Micky Flanagan’s next tour is going to be immensely popular. His announcement has come with huge excitement already, and that’s without people even knowing when and where he is going to be performing.

Details of the tour have trickled through February, and finally, the full list of dates and venues has been revealed. They are:

  • Wednesday 15th March 2023 - Bournemouth International Centre (BIC), Bournemouth
  • Thursday 16th March 2023 - Bournemouth International Centre (BIC), Bournemouth
  • Friday 24th March 2023 - 3Arena, Dublin
  • Thursday 30th March 2023 - Utilita Arena, Birmingham
  • Thursday 31st March 2023 - Utilita Arena, Birmingham
  • Saturday 1st April 2023 - Utilita Arena, Birmingham
  • Thursday 13th April 2023 - OVO Hydro, Glasgow
  • Thursday 20th April 2023 - First Direct Arena, Leeds
  • Friday 21st April 2023 - First Direct Arena, Leeds
  • Thursday 11th May 2023 - The O2, London
  • Friday 12th May 2023 - The O2, London
  • Saturday 13th May 2023 - The O2, London
  • Friday 19th May 2023 - The O2, London
  • Friday 26th May 2023 - The O2, London

You can experience the expected blockbuster tour in the best possible fashion with premium Micky Flanagan VIP tickets, providing you with an unforgettable night of side-splitting comedy.

With premium tickets, you can expect to enjoy benefits such as a comfortable seat with prime stage views, access to the venue's luxury VIP lounge via the dedicated venue VIP entrance which also provides expedited entry, and delectable food and drink options available at points throughout the night.*

Official hospitality packages and VIP tickets for Micky Flanagan's 2023 tour are on sale now at Seat Unique. Secure your spot today!

There are still many tickets available for his shows in Birmingham and Leeds. Be sure to get yours now, with the shows coming very soon!

Buy Micky Flanagan tickets

*Premium ticket inclusions based on previous events at similar venues. Inclusions may not be included in the venues during the tour. They may also vary by location and venue.

If you’re interested in any other top British comedians, Peter Kay is on tour all the way into 2025, and Romesh Ranganathan will be touring in 2024.