Johnny Vegas needs to 'rest' stand-up career
Johnny Vegas needs to "rest" his stand-up comedy career for the time being.
Johnny Vegas needs to "rest" his stand-up comedy career.
The 55-year-old star began his career on stage but he's currently focused on working on his own art and running the antiques shop seen in his reality show Johnny Vegas’ Little Shop of Antiques because the years of feeling nervous about his performance has taken a "toll".
He told The Times: "Stand-up was great, but it was manic. The nerves took their toll. Never say never, but I just see that as a project that needs to rest."
"[With the factual show], you get to be yourself, you get to do what you love. I get a lot of people turning up who thought I was just some bloke who shouts a lot. But I don’t need him in daily life.”
Johnny - whose real name is Michael Pennington - feels he can "share more" of himself in the shop.
He added: “Well, Johnny doing stand-up, that was a different range of emotions."
The Ideal star admitted it took him some time to work out whether to use his real or stage name with his art, but fellow sculptor Emma Rodgers, who he shares a studio with, had some good advice.
He said: “It’s been a bit of a debate. I said to Emma, ‘I want to do this work as Michael because when I make it I feel like Michael. It’s Michael that does it, not Johnny.'
“And she said, ‘That’s ridiculous. You’ve spent years building a brand.’ And I said, ‘Yeah, but I want people to take it seriously.’ And she said, ‘If it’s good, people will take it seriously.’ So I sign it ‘Johnny Vegas’.”
"I don’t have impostor syndrome about it any more.”
Johnny is joined in his antiques shop by personal assistant and old friend Bev and his partner of three years, Vikki Jones.
And he admitted working on the business with the gallery owner has meant they could enjoy "more quality time together".
He added: "They say never work with your partner, but it’s great. She and Bev make fun of me most of the time.”
The couple's relationship has largely been kept out of the spotlight.
Johnny said: “I wasn’t keeping it under cover, but I don’t share much about it on social media.”
