It’s the way they sell ’em: standups across UK turn to merchandise for extra cash

Comedian Kiri Pritchard-McLean had merchandise, including earrings, necklaces and keyrings, made for her new touring show Peacock. Photograph: press image

Comedian Paddy Young sold caps at last year’s Edinburgh festival fringe emblazoned with his memorable show title: Hungry, Horny, Scared. They were a hit. “I had a sellout run but doubled my profits on hats alone,” he said. “Increasingly, comedians have to find inventive ways of making money.”

Now the show lives on through the merchandise. “It’s a good acid test for a show title: funny and memorable, with a touch of sleaze,” Young said. “It’s surreal to see them in the wild: I was a little the worse for wear at Glastonbury when I saw a Hungry, Horny, Scared cap in the toilet cubicle next to mine.”