Comic says his late diagnosis ‘answers a lot of questions'

Johnny Vegas has become the latest comedian to revealed that he has been diagnosed with ADHD.

The 52-year-old comedian says he doesn’t feel defined by the attention deficit hyperactivity disorder  – but says that knowing he has it has helped him become more responsible.

And he added that it ‘answers a lot of questions about behavioural issues in the past’.

Speaking on BBC Breakfast he said of the condition: ‘It’s that sense of disorganisation and doing basic tasks. Everybody has an element of it. It’s how strong your filter is, I think.

‘When you don’t have a filter at all, very simple things become very time consuming. It’s like, [I’ll say] I’ll shift that cup, and then you have 10 other ideas and you haven’t shifted that cup, and then three weeks later that cup’s still there and somebody’s like, why haven’t you shifted that, and it’s become this monumental task and it’s built up.

‘It’s just, I suppose, how your brain organises itself. I always knew I was disorganised … but [the diagnosis] helps make sense of a lot of things at school. I’m just on the verge of learning about it.’

He added that the ADHD ‘made me who I am’ and speculated that his chaotic approach had helped him to be a better stand-up comedian.

’In some respects you can go back and look at it with regret, but I’ve had a bit of a charmed life, so it’s no regrets,’ he said.

‘I know now and it helps you make changes, I suppose, as you want to get more responsible later in life. I don’t see it as defining me.’

Comedian and actor Johnny Vegas has been speaking about being diagnosed with ADHD just before Christmas.

He told #BBCBreakfast 'it just answers a lot questions about behavioural issues' https://t.co/51nGIdkO03 pic.twitter.com/KbY5KpYtT1

— BBC Breakfast (@BBCBreakfast) January 11, 2023

His comments came after Sue Perkins shared her diagnosis, after which ‘suddenly everything made sense’.

Vegas said he and Perkins have the same agent, who suggested he get assessed too.

Previously other comedians including Rory Bremner, Rhod Gilbert, Shaparak Khorsandi, Robin Ince, Simon Brodkin, Colin Hoult and Angela Barnes had spoken about their ADHD

And last year Lucy Porter got diagnosed after a psychiatrist recognised some of her behavioural symptoms from her stand up and an interview on BBC Radio 4 show, The Confessional, with Stephen Mangan. She said she was lucky in that she had an agent and  publicist to help bring order to her life.

The NHS says that most ADHD cases are diagnosed when children are under 12 years old.

» Angela ​Barnes: I'm surprised by stand-ups who don't have ADHD. Why are they doing it?'

Published: 11 Jan 2023