Eddie Izzard: 'Glastonbury pays comedians buttons'

Eddie Izzard has suggested that Glastonbury festival does not pay comedians enough.

The stand-up made the comment in conversation with Ross Noble for Absolute Radio about his comedy festival Laughs in the Park.

Asked about the challenges of outdoor events, Izzard said: "I'd say all the hassles that music festivals have already found - weather is the primary one.

"Comedy also knows, because we're often the poor relation tent to the big 'I know what I'm doing, I have a lot of gear and a lot of roadies and getting paid actual money as opposed to breadsticks', you know, which is what Glastonbury... there is a comedy tent in Glastonbury and they do get paid buttons. Buttons?"

Noble agreed: "Yeah, buttons."

Izzard continued: "Comedy is a mind gig and music is a field gig, people can get right out of it and still be in a field gig and a music gig, they can really get kind of wasted.

"We need people to be happy, slightly buzzed but not too out of it because we're doing quite subtle stuff here; we're putting juxtaposing stuff that works in the brain.

"I've had people from music festivals in the tent laughing their heads off, but all the way through, at anything, and so it doesn't help you, doesn't help us finesse our timing."

Noble quipped: "Although it's fine if you just want to laugh in my set. If you want to just p*ss yourself all the way through."

Laughs in the Park featured Izzard, Noble and Tommy Tiernan and took place on 22, 23 and 24 July at Verulamium Park, St Albans.

Izzard was recently reported to be in talks alongside Bob Hoskins to appear in Kristen Stewart's Snow White and the Huntsman.

Watch the Eddie Izzard and Ross Noble Absolute Radio video interview below: