Johnny Vegas says he’d have gone into ceramics if he’d not done stand-up

EntertainmentArt
2 Sep 2025 • 7:26 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

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  • Johnny Vegas, the comedian and actor, has expressed regret over sidelining his passion for ceramics to pursue a career in stand-up comedy and acting.
  • Vegas, real name Michael Joseph Pennington, studied ceramics at Middlesex University but turned to comedy in the Nineties after being disappointed with his degree results.
  • He felt that not focusing on ceramics full time made him lose his creative edge, leading him to believe he had 'cheated himself' by neglecting his artistic pursuits.
  • Rediscovering art later in life provided Vegas with a new sense of purpose, as highlighted in his Channel 4 documentary 'Art, ADHD & Me' and recent exhibitions.
  • Vegas, who was diagnosed with ADHD at 52, credits ceramics and art with helping him manage his condition and understand his behavioural patterns.

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