Sean Hughes to quit stand-up

Just when it seemed like he was getting his groove back, comedy veteran Sean Hughes is bowing out of live stand-up once more. The former Never Mind the Buzzcocks team captain told News of the World over the weekend that this year's Edinburgh Fringe show would be his last for the foreseeable future.

Hughes' last break from live performance lasted seven years, and it seems that just wasn't long enough – he admitted that after three years back on the scene, his enthusiasm for touring was already waning.

"I can't stand hotels," he said. "It's the same with venues. This will be the last stand-up I do in a long time. I just need to regenerate."

In an interview with Spoonfed last week, the 44-year-old comedian also spoke of his disdain for the commercial development of the Edinburgh scene. "It literally used to be about new work, now it's all about people trying to get a TV show," he said. "It used to be you'd rock up on the 2nd of August without a care in the world."

Hughes has certainly seen his fair share of changes to the comedy landscape over his 20-odd year career. A Comedy Store regular since 1987, he is also a former Perrier winner, British Comedy Award nominee and famously team captain on Never Mind the Buzzcocks, which he revealed he gave up because of the on-set bullying. "Mark Lamarr was a bit of a bully and I'd join in," he said. "That's an even worse person – the one who's not brave enough to be the bully."

See Holly's interview with Sean Hughes

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