Stand-up reportedly dies while mountaineering

Tributes have been paid to Scottish comedian Gary Little after his death was reported on social media. 

The comic was about 61 and his cause of death is not yet known, but one friend said he died while on the mountains. He was known to be a keen hiker.

Fellow stand-up Jo Caulfield posted: ‘What terribly sad news. Gary Little was a great comic and an amazing person to spend time with. We are all poorer for losing you Gary.

‘My love and sympathy to his family and loved ones. I will truly miss seeing you backstage and never hearing that big mischievous laugh.’

Neil Bratchpiece, aka The Wee Man, said: 'RIP the legend Big Gary Little. One of the best comedians to come out the country and one of the nicest guys to spend time with. Still absolutely reeling from the shock of this news, deepest condolences go to his family. Rest easy big man.'

Another comic, Rob Kane, wrote: ‘Scottish comedy and the world have lost a legend today. Gary Little I could rhyme off hundreds of stories of the times we’ve spent backstage and in car journeys together, the big man’s stern gaze, his lack of tolerance for people over running on their time on stage, but most of all his warmth and empathy.

‘I remember when I first compèred Jongleurs and he was opening, I could see his silhouette pacing around at the back of the room whilst I thought I was ‘smashing it’. He came up to after the opening section and "what you dain?!" I was shocked and said "what?" He replied "what you dain talkin to the front row at a Jongleurs’s gig? Nobody else can see them?!"

‘He brought me back to earth with a bang and he was right. I wish every gig I done had a Big Gary at it and I hope he’s doubling up whenever he does his next gigs. RIP big man. Much respect and Love.’

Ronnie Black wrote: ‘Am in total disbelief tonight that a genuine legend of Scottish comedy and great guy has died today whilst climbing mountains.’

And Darren Connell wrote on X: 'Scottish comedy lost a legend today — heartbreaking news.

'Gary was an absolute powerhouse. He hosted my first ever gig when I was 18 years old, and after a shocker of a set, he took me aside and told me to keep my head down, work hard, and not let it get to me.

'I’m glad he was kind enough to say that, and even more glad I listened. I’ve never forgotten it.Life is so short.''

 Little began performing comedy in 2003, when he became a finalist in a competition run by The Stand comedy club and the Daily Record. He performed his first one-man show at the Glasgow Comedy Festival in 2005.

In 2007, he was briefly jailed for stealing books from the HarperColins warehouse near Glasgow, where he worked as a forklift truck driver, netting £100,000 from selling them cheap on eBay. His prison experiences formed the basis of his 2009 Edinburgh Fringe show He Was Only Jail Gay.

Published: 15 Aug 2025