Shock as 'powerhouse' Scottish comedian Gary Little dies

Gary Little was a regular at the Fringe and at the Glasgow comedy festival

Tributes have been paid following the death of Gary Little, who has been described as one of "Scotland's finest comedians".

Little, who was in his 60s, rose to prominence in the early 2000s, gaining recognition as a finalist in a stand-up competition hosted by The Stand comedy club.

He went on to perform regularly at the Glasgow International Comedy Festival and the Edinburgh Fringe.

The Glee Club in Glasgow, where the comedian was due to perform on Friday, confirmed his death on social media.

It said: "Gary wasn't just one of Scotland's finest comedians, he was a true original.

"He had a huge heart, a razor sharp sense of humour, and a knack for making you feel like you'd known him forever.

"He could make an entire room feel like they were sitting with an old friend. He played our opening weekend, and was a permanent fixture at the venue ever since."

Originally from Springburn in the north of Glasgow, Little often drew from controversial personal experiences in his material - including his time in prison.

In the early 90s he spent time in jail on a drug dealing charge.

Then in 2007, he was briefly jailed for stealing books at a warehouse where he worked as a forklift truck driver, netting £100,000 from selling them on eBay.

His stand-up shows tackled themes of mental health and addiction.

In 2024, he created a four-part stand-up series for BBC Radio 4 called Gary Little: At Large which explored life "before, behind and beyond bars".

He had been due to tour with fellow comedian Raymond Mears later this year.

'Mischievous laugh'

Staff at The Stand said they were "utterly devastated" to hear of the news.

In a post on Instagram, they said: "An incredible comic, huge personality and friend to many. We are lost for words and he will be profoundly and sorely missed.

"There will be many a comic thinking about him tonight, telling stories and raising a glass. He would have liked that."

Comedians, many of them Scottish, have paid tribute to Little online.

Kevin Bridges posted a photo of Little on Instagram saying "RIP big Gary".

Neil Bratchpiece, also known as the Wee Man, described Little as "one of the best comedians to come out the country and one of the nicest guys to spend time with".

Glaswegian comedian, Darren Connell said: "Scottish comedy lost a legend today — heart-breaking news. Gary was an absolute powerhouse.

"He hosted my first ever gig when I was 18 years old, and after a shocker of a set, he took me aside and told me to keep my head down, work hard, and not let it get to me."

Jo Caulfield said: "Gary Little was a great comic and an amazing person to spend time with.

"I will truly miss not seeing you backstage and never hearing that big mischievous laugh."