Gary Little dead: Comedy icon dies 'climbing a hill' aged 61 as tributes pour in

Scottish comedian Gary Little has died aged 61, it has been confirmed. The award-winning comic had previously been heralded as "one of Scotland's finest comedians".

His death was confirmed on social media, with it claimed he died while on a hill climb in Scotland. His cause of death has not yet been revealed.

Tributes were quick to pour in following the news. In an Instagram post, comedy club The Stand in Glasgow praised his "huge personality". They wrote: "We here at The Stand are utterly devastated to hear the news of the passing of big Gary Little. An incredible comic, huge personality and friend to many.

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"We are lost for words, and he will be profoundly and sorely missed. Our thoughts go out to all his family and friends right now.

"There will be many a comic thinking about him tonight, telling stories and raising a glass. He would have liked that."

And popular podcast The Some Laugh also shared their condolence. They said: "We’re absolutely gutted to learn of the passing of the legend Gary Little.

"Gary was one of the best stand-ups Scotland has ever produced, an absolute powerhouse of a comedian as well as a genuinely lovely guy with a heart of gold.

"It was a pleasure to learn from someone like Gary as we were all coming up on the comedy scene, and his episode and appearance on our live show are up there with the all-time moments of the pod."

Comedian Jo Caulfield also took to social media to say: "Gary Little was a great comic and an amazing person to spend time with. I will truly miss not seeing you backstage and never hearing that big mischievous laugh."

And Glaswegian comedian, Darren Connell added: "Scottish comedy lost a legend today — heart-breaking news. Gary was an absolute powerhouse.

"He hosted my first ever gig when I was 18 years old, and after a shocker of a set, he took me aside and told me to keep my head down, work hard, and not let it get to me."

Gary was due to perform in Aberdeen next month before his sudden death. Among other topics, his stand-up routines tackled themes of mental health and addiction.

His material saw him talk about his personal experience, including his time in prison. The comic had been jailed in the early 90s following a drug dealing charge.

In 2007, he was briefly jailed again. This time for stealing books at a warehouse where he worked as a forklift truck driver. He is said to have made £100,000 from selling the items on eBay.

He had been due to tour with fellow comedian Raymond Mears later this year.

As well as his comedy shows on stage, he created a four-part stand-up series for BBC Radio 4 in 2024. The show was called Gary Little: At Large and he explored life "before, behind and beyond bars".

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