Tom Walker, the comedian behind the fictional news reporter Jonathan Pie, has opened up about his struggles before viral fame, admitting he was "out of work with no money" for two decades.
Speaking exclusively to Express.co.uk, Walker discussed his upcoming tour, his views on Labour, Nigel Farage and the state of British politics, before making the candid admission about his earlier life.
Struggles before fame
Walker described himself as an "accidental satirist" and an "accidental comedian", explaining he was an out-of-work actor for many years before his online sketches took off.
"I was out of work for 20 years not getting auditions," he said. "As I was approaching 40, it was like, I've got no money. I've got no prospects. I've got no career. I think I'm going to have to give it up."
To make ends meet, the comedian worked in a call centre, an estate agent for a year, and a bookshop. "That's what being a jobbing actor really means. It means not acting," he added.
Turning point
Walker explained that everything changed when he started writing sketches. "On the third or fourth go, suddenly it was a million views," he said. "I saw that a door had opened for me and I was like, I'm going for it. Because, like I say, I think if you're lucky, life throws you a bone sometimes."
He added that he was "lucky enough to recognise the opportunity when it arose".
Current political views
Walker is now touring with his new show, The End Of The World According To Jonathan Pie, which offers his no-holds-barred take on Britain under a Labour government.
His previous show focused on what he called the "low hanging fruit of 14 years of Tories", but this time around it is more complicated because, as he put it, "I voted for this lot".
Speaking about Andy Burnham, he said: "I feel a lot more positive about [Burnham] than I did the last, well, most of Keir Starmer's premiership." He also joked: "I think we're safe that Andy Burnham will last three months. I think that's reasonable."
On Nigel Farage, Walker remarked: "I think if Burnham doesn't turn stuff around - I know that Farage is under pressure at the moment and he's not polling as well as he was, say, six months ago or whatever. But I do think there's a very good chance he could become our next prime minister."
He added: "For people who like Nigel Farage, well, that's a good thing. But I think it would be a disaster for this country. And there's a line in the show that I say, it's really important that Andy Burnham succeeds so that one man doesn't."
Upcoming tour
Tom will tour the UK this autumn, including two London performances at the Eventim Apollo. Audiences will see him come to terms with the end of Starmer's Labour and the fact that he voted for it, with Reform waiting in the wings.
He described the tour as "hilarious, but thought provoking". The End of the World... According to Jonathan Pie runs from Sunday 20th September to Sunday 29th November 2026, with tickets on general sale now at jonathanpie.com.
