Gary Little confirms death

Tributes flow for the Glasgow born comedian known for hard edged stories and festival appearances.

Gary Little dies leaving lasting mark on Scottish comedy

Gary Little, a Glasgow born comedian who regularly lit up the Glasgow International Comedy Festival and the Edinburgh Fringe, has died. Born in Springburn, his material drew on personal experience, including a time in prison. In the 1990s he served jail time for a drug dealing charge and in 2007 was briefly jailed for stealing books from a warehouse where he worked, later selling them on eBay for about £100,000. His shows often tackled mental health and addiction, and in 2024 he created a four part BBC Radio 4 series, Gary Little At Large, exploring life before, behind and beyond bars. He was due to tour with fellow comedian Raymond Mears later this year.

A venue statement described him as a true original with a huge heart and a razor sharp sense of humour, capable of making a room feel like an old friend. Tributes are pouring in from venues, fans and fellow comedians who saw him as a permanent fixture on the circuit and a voice who spoke frankly about difficult topics.

Little’s career sits at the intersection of raw honesty and enduring warmth. He used personal hardship to fuel his art, showing how comedy can process pain while inviting audiences to empathize rather than judge. His passing invites a broader reflection on how the industry handles performers with troubled pasts and how audiences respond to redemption narratives in public art.

The conversation around his life also underscores the role of regional voices in shaping UK comedy. His Springburn origins and festival presence helped tether wider audiences to Scottish storytelling, even as his work confronted heavy themes. As the scene evolves, his legacy may push sponsors and venues to embrace openness about mental health and addiction as legitimate, powerful material.

Highlights

The stage is quieter, but his voice lingers in the rooms he filled.