Critically acclaimed comedian Garrett Millerick spoke to The Northern Echo ahead of his tour coming Newcastle next week, with the smash hit ‘Just Trying to Help’.

Millerick, described as the world’s angriest optimist, will play Newcastle’s The Stand comedy club on March 25 with a show described as “sensible answers to stupid questions.”

The stand-up comic first struck fame at Edinburgh’s fringe in 2018 with his show ‘Sunflower’, as well as performing stand up on the US talk show ‘Conan’.

Now, the breakout star is heading on a national tour he’s called ‘Just Trying to Help’, inspired by humanity’s “unintended consequences from when we’re doing our best.”

Garrett told The Northern Echo: “I was trying to engage a bit more with social media, when a while ago I witnessed a huge fight happening on Twitter. I was watching this big fight unfold about something political happening that day.

“It ended up with everybody being very cross, and nobody had got what they wanted out of it – you could see a lot of anger. Every single person, from every side of the argument, they were all trying to help in their own way, but it was a very unconstructive way of going about it.

“Everybody is going in all guns blazing at the minute when often it’s better just to stand back. We are all just trying to help.”

The now successful comic took his first steps into the industry ten years ago after taking an interest writing films and plays.

“I’d always write funny plays, funny short films as well” Garrett said.

“I’d been through a couple of rounds of film finance funding and they hadn’t gone my way. Then, I thought, if I could just write something for myself and perform it to an audience that might reignite my passion.”

Garrett has previously performed across the country, selling out venues including London’s Soho theatre.

But now, Garrett is excited to head on what will be his first national tour after COVID cancelled his first in 2020.

“With this tour, this is my first national tour. My first actual national tour was supposed to be in 2020.

“I did the first night in Birmingham then the next day, a little thing called ‘lockdown’ came along.”

With two shows planned in Newcastle as well as York on April 16, Garrett told the Echo he “loves” playing in the North of England.

He said: “You guys have got a very good sense of humour, you’re so on it… you don’t take yourselves too seriously.

“The funniest bit about playing Newcastle is that you don’t let anyone away with anything, you’ve got to bring your A-game.”

You can see Garrett at Newcastle’s The Stand on March 25, with tickets still available on his website.