Listen free for 30 days

Listen with offer

  • Tough Crowd

  • How I Made and Lost a Career in Comedy
  • By: Graham Linehan
  • Narrated by: Graham Linehan
  • Length: 7 hrs and 46 mins
  • 4.9 out of 5 stars (538 ratings)

$0.00 for first 30 days

Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.
Tough Crowd cover art

Tough Crowd

By: Graham Linehan
Narrated by: Graham Linehan
Try for £0.00

£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Buy Now for £14.99

Buy Now for £14.99

Pay using card ending in
By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and authorise Audible to charge your designated card or any other card on file. Please see our Privacy Notice, Cookies Notice and Interest-based Ads Notice.

Listeners also enjoyed...

Trans cover art
The Plot cover art
Israelophobia cover art
Lost in Trans Nation cover art
Alan Partridge: Big Beacon cover art
Time to Think cover art
Unfair Play cover art
An Immigrant's Love Letter to the West cover art
Material Girls cover art
The Abolition of Sex cover art
Feminism for Women cover art
The New Puritans cover art
Hags cover art
When Kids Say They’re Trans cover art
The Origins of Woke cover art
Tripping Over Myself cover art

Summary

Having cut his teeth in music journalism, Graham Linehan became the finest sitcom writer of his generation. He captured the comedy zeitgeist not just as the co-creator of Father Ted but also with The IT Crowd and Black Books, winning five BAFTAs and a lifetime achievement award.

Then his life took an unexpected turn. When he championed an unfashionable cause, TV commissioners no longer returned his emails, showbiz pals lost his number, and his marriage collapsed.

In an emotionally charged memoir that is by turns hilarious and harrowing, he lets us into the secrets of the writing room and colorfully describes the high-octane atmosphere of a sitcom set. But he also berates an industry where there was no one to stand by his side when he needed help.

Bruised but not beaten, he explains why he chose the hill of women and girls' rights to die on—and why, despite the hardship of cancellation, he's not coming down from it any time soon.

©2023 Graham Linehan (P)2023 Graham Linehan

Critic reviews

"A must-read. Funny and utterly compelling." (Jonathan Ross)

What listeners say about Tough Crowd

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    503
  • 4 Stars
    23
  • 3 Stars
    5
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    5
Performance
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    485
  • 4 Stars
    24
  • 3 Stars
    7
  • 2 Stars
    3
  • 1 Stars
    2
Story
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    483
  • 4 Stars
    24
  • 3 Stars
    4
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    8

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Fantastic book

A brilliant listen, with lots of details about the creation of some of my favourite shows.

It's a cautionary tale into how cults work, and how our society has been taken over by the mad fad of the fanatical transgender cult.

I transitioned in 2005 and have been horrified to see what the trans rights movement has become.

Graham, if I ever met you in real life I'd give you a big hug and buy you a drink. Keep fighting, the majority of trans folk are perfectly decent but there are some very bad apples out there and you are standing up to their nonsense.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Moving, insightful and humourous, thanks Graham!

Graham's story into comedy is fascinating. His integrity and courage is inspiring. The words he wrote in remembrance of his father are so moving. what a ledge.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A cracking read from a man of courage.

I’ve loved many of Graham Linehan’s creations, Father Ted, Black Books, The IT Crowd so it was a pleasure to learn how they came to be. Graham tells his story with honesty and dignity, and of course, plenty of humour along the way. He lays bare the betrayal of his peers, but how this has led to finding true friendship along the way.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A wonderful book

Funny and moving, this book should serve as a testament and warning to the madness that is being forced on us all.
Getting the back story of the creation of masterpieces such as "The IT crowd" and "Father Ted" is a joy. No "Black books" though? Or did I miss that bit :)

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

God-like genius. Five stars.

An absolutely wonderful book and incredibly narrated. A gold-mine of tips if you're interested in writing comedy.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Honest biography

Have just listened to the whole book, easy to listen to, honest biography outlining events in his life- plan to rewatch all of Father Ted and the IT crowd and listen to the book again as very enlightening with regards to the comedy industry.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Human kindness.

Enjoyed this book.
Nice to hear the story of a man who has brought so much happiness to so many.
Thank you for your work Graham.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

The sheer lunacy of Grahams cancellation

Fabulous account of both his early days and rise to fame and for me the most compelling part was his stand for women. What a guy! Thank you Graham!!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A comic genius

A fascinating and humorous insight into the concepts and processes behind Father Ted, The IT Crowd, etc.. I can’t believe this liberal man has been out cast by his peers for standing up for women’s rights. By men pretending to be women and those who claim to speak for them. This book is a reminder of his comedic legacy which will be enjoyed long after this ludicrous culture war dissipates.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Tough Crowd - true story of a brave man.

Excellent listen. well-written, well read. Fast moving and informative. A first person account of principles and how sticking to them can be life-changing.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!