Tom Davis quit stand-up for 6 years due to 'crippling anxiety'

Tom Davis had to quit stand-up for six years due to "crippling anxiety".

The 44-year-old comedian used to feel "really anxious" for a whole day ahead of one of his gigs, and it eventually got too much, leading to him to take a break from performing.

He told the Daily Mirror newspaper: "I stopped doing stand-up for about five or six years, questioning whether I was good enough, which wasn’t just an hour or so before the show, it would take over the whole day.

"From the moment I woke up I’d be really anxious. Over the years I’d dip my toe in but I found the anxiety so crippling I’d end up making an excuse to pull out.

"There’s a reason for stage fright, you might be about to step out in front of 5,000 people.

"My anxiety at times is a little bit more illogical and looking back I realise I’ve had it since before I was a stand-up comedian."

The 'King Gary' star still suffers with "an air of anxiety" nowadays, and admits he can be triggered if his daily plan starts changing.

He said: "Once it gets to a level where it actually stops you doing things, then you have to start thinking about solutions. I still suffer from anxiety now - I think most people suffer with an air of anxiety if they’re honest.

"A trigger for me is I like to know what I’m doing - if things start changing or moving then I find that can spiral me a little bit."

The actor has turned to exercise to "burn away" his anxiety, and it has resulted in him shedding three stone.

He added: "Every morning I try to do something physical, maybe go for a walk,” he says. “Either on my own or with my wife Kathryn and our young daughter - it burns away the anxiety.

"I also started doing body weight exercises and before I go on stage I do a bit of shadow boxing. I didn’t set out to lose weight but I lost two and a half to three stone."