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VIZ creator Simon Donald quits North East for London

Jun 28 2009 by Tom Mullen, Sunday Sun

Simon was co-editor of Viz, which he created and ran with his brother Chris until 2003 when he first began to get serious about stand-up.

His brand of Geordie humour is already a hit on the Newcastle circuit, where his main focus of late has been The Grinning Idiot Comedy Club, which puts on gigs around the city.

There he became acquainted with friend and promoter Maff Brown, who has helped plug him into the London comedy scene.

Simon’s visits to the city have already seen him starring alongside Office writer and actor Stephen Merchant.

Other gigs around the country have won him plaudits from the likes of Ross Noble and Scottish comedian and Perrier Award winner Phil Nichol.

He has already arranged digs in Highgate and will leave Newcastle on Tuesday.

Simon said: “I’m indebted to Maff because he’s recognised me. There’s been a great deal of recognition for me, even though I’ve gone in on the bottom rung.

“When I did my Geordie stuff down there it got the best reception I’ve ever had outside Newcastle.

“It’s a big change moving down to London, but I’m not exactly pouring weedkiller on my roots. I still have family and friends up here and I will retain my links to Newcastle.”

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