Featured June 2026
by Ewan McKay
Hello lovely Snigger readers. My name is Ewan McKay - pretty new on the comedy scene, but a life long fan. I grew up in Ayrshire in the 90s, with old fashioned parents who loved all things old fashioned Scottish Comedy. The chat every New Year was the same, “Hogmanay’s shite noo… It was better when the Revered I M Jolly wis oan.”
No YouTube and very little available on video back then - so it could be difficult to get a hold of. But one way or another they found a way to show me Scotch and Wry, IM Jolly and Francie and Josie. Most my age had the same favourite - Billy Connolly. Don’t get me wrong, The Big Yin is the undeniable, undisputed GOAT by any metric you choose - but for me, growing up, I loved Rikki Fulton. And from there it grew with every generation of Scottish comedy. Rab C, Chewin’ The Fat, Still Game, Burnistoun, Limmy… I devoured everything I could find. I’m now left unsure what the hell I’d even talk about if I never had so many quotes from it all!
For as long as I can remember, I wanted to do what they did. I wanted to stand up and make people laugh. On stage, on screen, in a pub - whatever. I just loved to laugh and to make people laugh.
But - in the West Coast of Scotland few of us admit our dreams, much less chase them. Sad to announce it took me til about 36 years old to even admit my dream to a friend. He encouraged it. I thought about it. But still nothing. Then I told someone else who also encouraged it. I guess their opinion was held in high regard at the time because this time it stuck and we were off to the races - like so many of us, learning from the amazing Viv Gee via UltraComedy, raising money for charity and making friends along the way.
That first show was June 2025, and what a high. Half my rugby club attended. I loved every second. And it went well! Really well! So off I went for another in July.
Unfortunately from there, life took turns. Attention got diverted. I fell away again. And I didn’t think I’d be back. I started to view it as more of a bucket list box checked than a calling.
But I mentioned I made friends along the way, and they didn’t let it slip away so easily for me. So back I went for Mad Men in March 2026 as part of GICF - our very own show, created and produced by the guys from Ultra. There were 4 amazing comedians and yours truly - Chris Woods, Jamie Spence, Dame Davey Jay and the hotly tipped rising star Craig Speirs. Again, we smashed it. Again, what a high. I expected to walk away that night - now I know I never will.
I’ve gigged non stop since then, coming up with new material, going to new venues and meeting new people. I love every minute - it’s like a giant puzzle to solve!
My style is fairly dark, observational and story based I would say. If you’d like to see some previews - check out @ewanm_comedy on Insta and TikTok. But of course the best way is to get yourself to a show 😉 you can catch me at Bungalaff in Paisley on June 14th and The Stravaig in Ayr on July 4th, and I’ll have more gigs posted on my Insta too 😊